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Tag: Arrest

  • APC threatens to arrest, prosecute Galadima, others in R-APC

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday said it would take legal actions against the National Chairman of the Reformed-APC, Alhaji Buba Galadima, and other members of the group.

    The National Legal Adviser of the party, Babatunde Ogala, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday.

    He said this in reaction to the formation of the splinter group, R-APC.

    Recall that aggrieved members of the New Peoples Democratic Party bloc and other aggrieved members of the ruling APC had on Thursday last week announced the formation of the R-APC.

    Ogala accused Galadima and other R-APC leaders of impersonation, fraudulent interpretation, conducts likely to breach public peace and breach of trademark and infringement of copyright.

    The APC also hinted possible arrest of leading members of the R-APC by security agencies.

    The legal adviser stated, “For the infringement so far committed by Mr Galadima and the odium he has brought upon the APC brand, we will be seeking civil redress against his person and that of his group.

    “With respect to the criminal aspect of his conduct, we will be notifying the appropriate authorities to do the needful.”

    According to Ogala, the press conference and statement issued by Galadima “were reminiscent of the televised military address issued after a successful execution of a coup d’état” which had become the order of the day before the return of democracy.

    Ogala accused the Galadima-led R-APC of resorting to self-help instead of seeking legal redress.

    He said if members of the group felt strongly about events that took place during the recently concluded national convention of the APC, they should have approached the court.

    He noted that Galadima’s press release could be captured under three major issues, namely:

    “That the party’s convention was improperly conducted by the convention chairman as consensus candidates were only subjected to a ‘yes’ vote in alleged contravention of Article 20 of the APC constitution.

    “That a group of delegates have come together 10 days after the successful conduct of the APC convention to, in their words, ‘take control and give legitimacy’ to APC now to be known as Reformed APC.

    “That R-APC, whose congresses and convention date has yet to be disclosed, already has the full complement of national executives, national working committee, state executives and local government officials in all 774 local government areas across the country.”

    Faulting Galadima, Ogala stated, “The question of elections within the APC is covered by Article 20 of the APC Constitution. Specifically, Section 20 (1) provides that all party posts prescribed or implied by this constitution shall be filled by democratically conducted elections at the respective national convention or congress; subject where possible to consensus.”

    In a veiled reference to alleged criminal breaches of the law on the part of the R-APC, Ogala maintained that the immediate consequence of Galadima’s action is that “he and his gang” had committed several criminal infractions against the APC.

    The legal adviser said by referring to himself as a national chairman, Galadima had committed the offence of impersonation.

    He said Galadima, knowingly made a statement which he knew to be untrue with the aim of deceiving Nigerians into abandoning the APC.

    The APC legal adviser further argued that the APC is a brand owned by members of the political party so registered and that by using the APC brand, the R-APC had infringed on the copyright of the APC and was thus liable.

    Ogala said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration was prepared to do all that was lawfully necessary to cleanse Nigeria’s political process of people who had become accustomed to brigandage and being unruly.

    In his reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of the R-APC, Mr Kassim Afegbua, said, “This long epistle to the Romans with a series of legal jargon is only food for the ears of their political buccaneers and economic predators.

    “This so-called legal adviser does not need to bog us with this long, windy and twisted legal logic; all he needs to do is to approach a court of competent jurisdiction and sue us.

    “As one of the beneficiaries of a convention, he needs to impress his new economic predators that he too has all it takes to fit into the filthy lucre of the present arrangement.”

  • Police arrest SARS official for extortion

    The Police Command in Lagos has arrested one Insp. Charles Omotosho, an operative of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for allegedly extorting N5, 000 from a hapless citizen in Ikorodu, near Lagos.

    The Head of Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU) of the command, ACP. Abayomi Shogunle, made the disclosure in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    He explained that Omotosho was arrested, following a complaint from a citizen via twitter on May 16.

    Shogunle said that Omotosho forced his victim to make a bank transfer of N5, 000 into his account for an arrest over a flimsy reason.

    He said that in the course of preliminary investigation, a copy of the officer’s statement of bank account was obtained and the amount transferred was discovered.

    “It has also been established that there was a contact between the officer’s patrol team and the complainant and others at Ikorodu as contained in the complaint.”

    Shogunle said the officer had been removed from front-line police duties and taken into custody.

    The PCRRU head said that the inspector-general of police had ordered immediate commencement of disciplinary action against Omotosho in line with the police Act and other regulations.

    “PCRRU has handed the erring officer to the AIG Zone 2 Command Lagos, together with a print out of his statement of bank account for necessary action, the outcome will be made public soonest,” Shogunle said.

    The PCRRU was established by the police authorities in 2015 with a mandate to receive and resolve cases of professional misconduct brought against officers.

  • Kashamu not above the law, can be arrested – Appeal Court

    The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on Friday nullified a ruling by the Federal High Court (FHC) which prohibited the arrest of Buruji Kashamu by Nigerian law enforcement agencies.

    The court said the senator is not above the law and should be arrested if there is a need.

    The appeal court panel led by Yargata Nimpar overturned the ruling which was delivered by Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in 2015.

    Kashamu, a serving senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, approached Abang for the enforcement of his fundamental rights, saying he had uncovered a purported plot by Nigerian security agencies to abduct and extradite him to the United States.

    Kashamu is being sought in the U.S. on drugs charges, although he had continued to deny the allegations, saying it was, at worse, a case of mistaken identity.

    In May 2015, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) laid a siege to Kashamu’s residence in Lagos in a bid to arrest and send him to the U.S. to face drugs charges. For the ensuing six days, Kashamu reportedly locked himself inside a toilet and refused to submit himself to federal authorities.

    His lawyers successfully prevailed on Abang to grant an order forbidding the NDLEA from carrying out the arrest. The agency subsequently withdrew its personnel, ending the six-day siege.

    The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation filed several submissions before the FHC, seeking to arrest Kashamu for extradition. But the attempts were frustrated by several injunctions granted by Abang, prompting the AGF to seek redress at the Court of Appeal.

    Kashamu had argued before the FHC that there were plots to arrest him and take him to the U.S. over a matter for which he had been cleared by judicial authorities in the United Kingdom between the late 1990s and early 2000s.

    But U.S. authorities insisted that Kashamu must come to the country to face drugs charges for which several of his alleged co-conspirators had been tried, convicted and jailed.

    In 2016, a U.S. Court of Appeal in Chicago, Illinois, ruled that Kashamu must answer his drugs allegations in U.S. courts.

    Despite all the controversies surrounding Kashamu’s case, the U.S. authorities have not publicly disclosed whether they sought Kashamu’s extradition or not. But some legal analysts said there was no need to make such request public, adding that the NDLEA’s move to arrest him and send him to the U.S. was enough grounds to conclude that the U.S. was interested in the matter.

    Consequently, the Court of Appeal ruled that the appeal has merit and set aside the order of perpetual injunction secured by Kashamu.

    However, Kashamu in a swift reaction to the ruling on Friday afternoon said the judgement had nothing to do with his extradition. He insisted that he had no pending extradition case anywhere in Nigeria.

    This was revealed in a statement by Kashamu’s media aide, Austin Oniyokor.

    Read full statement below:

    PRESS STATEMENT

    KASHAMU: I’VE NO EXTRADITION CASE IN COURT

    My attention has been drawn to today’s judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos in an appeal filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) against the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Lagos, in my favour in a fundamental human rights enforcement suit.

    Let me state from the outset that contrary to the wrong impression being created by a section of the media, there isn’t any extradition matter against me in any court in Nigeria or abroad. The illegal move surreptitiously introduced by the powers-that-beafter the 2015 abduction plot was exposed has been dismissed. That was in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/479/2015. The suit was dismissed on the 1st of July, 2015, for being an abuse of court process. Anything to the contrary is sheer mischief and over sensationalism by some reporters.

    As journalists and judicial reporters who are expected to seek and report the truth at all times, they should know that there is NO extradition case against me anywhere. The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice appealed against the judgment of the Federal High Court in the fundamental human rights enforcement matter comprised in Suit No.FHC/L/CS/508/2015 which I had instituted in 2015 upon becoming aware of the surreptitious moves by certain persons to abduct me illegally and transport me to the U.S.A. without recourse to the rule of law.

    In its judgment in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/508/2015,the Federal High Courtrestrained the Federal Government, its agents and agencies from abducting and forcibly transporting me to the United States of America over the same allegations that two British courts had adjudicated upon and found that to bea case of mistaken identity.

    So, clearly what was appealed and decided upon by the Court of Appeal today has nothing to do with extradition. Rather, it was about the failed 2015 abduction.

    Let me reiterate that in the face of the law, I do not have any extradition case to answer. Shun of all political manipulations and wizardry in Nigeria where political opponents pull down people to climb up the political ladder, I do not have any extradition case to answer.

    I wish to say for the umpteenth time that there is no way any extradition proceedings can be brought against me in the face of the law. What I have been fighting is the attempt to abduct or kidnap me in the guise of an extradition. It is a matter of public record that the purported extradition case that was filed against me in May 2015 was dismissed by the Federal High Court, Abuja, for being an illegality. It could not stand the test of the law. The case could not have seen the light of the day in Nigeria or any civilized country. That was the point the trial judge, the Honourable Justice Gabriel Kolawole made in the judgment when he described the incident as “a show of shame”. He found it incomprehensible that any government official or agency could want to take any step or collaborate with some foreign agents under any guise to perpetrate an illegality after several courts had given judgments against such an action.

    So, in the face of the law, that case cannot be brought again! Any other talk or insinuations about a non-existent extradition only exists in the imagination of the mischief-makers. Therefore, there cannot be any other extradition but abduction and an illegality.This is even more so when the judgment of the British Courts that found the allegation against me to be a case of mistaken identity was not appealed. If a court of competent jurisdiction has pronounced that I AM NOT the person who committed the offence and same verdict has been upheld by our own courts, there is no way this finding and pronouncements of the court can be jettisoned for illegality.

    It is this illegality that the Senate frowned at in a resolution passed on the 11th of April, 2017.

    The Senate through its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions resolved, “That the concerned agencies and authorities be advised to stop threatening or carrying out any activities to extradite Senator BurujiKashamu to the United States of America for prosecution, and that the courts be allowed to handle the various aspects of the case before them without any interference.”

    Despite the fact that the British courts had exonerated me, I have an abiding faith and believe in our judiciary. We have many people in the judiciary from rich background and reputable families. They do not have to be judicial officers. But, today they are judicial officers because of the call of the Almighty Allah upon them. They sit in courts five days in a week, taking cases and writing judgments upon judgments in long hands. They deny themselves of the freedom that the rest of us enjoy. They cannot have friends and live their lives freely like the rest of us.

    Invariably, by accepting to do the job most of us cannot do, they are sacrificing a lot. They belong in the class of some of the best and finest men and women that a society can ever ask for; powerful people yet self-effacing with the fear of God. They know that even when they are judges, they are still conscious of the fact that they are also accountable to the Almighty Allah who is the ultimate judge.

    Despite the imperfections in the system, we should respect them because they represent the unseen hands and unheard voices contributing their quota to the development of our dear country. It is because of these unseen hand and unheard voices that Nigeria has not become a banana republic where injustice can be perpetrated with reckless abandon.

    Mischief makers and blackmailers should stop all the noise-making. I do not have anything to do with crime and criminalities. Those peddling this lie are merely playing the devil’s advocate. But I take refuge in the Almighty Allah Subwana ta Allah. He is my shepherd and shield. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.

    In the meantime, my lawyers have filed a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for injunction pending the determination of the appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria. And I trust that the apex court will do justice. I also wish to use this medium to appeal to all my associates, lovers, supporters and leaders to remain calm. The truth shall prevail over falsehood as light triumphs over darkness.

     

    Signed

    Senator Buruji Kashamu

    Ogun East Senatorial District

     

  • Army arrest 23 suspected cultists, 15 pipeline vandals

    The Nigerian Army said on Saturday that it arrested 23 suspected cultists, who were conducting physical training for new recruits, initiation, robbery and kidnapping.

    The army also said that it arrested 15 other persons suspected to be pipeline vandals and recovered 31 jerry cans of refined petroleum products in the process.

    Maj.-Gen. Enobong Udoh, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, made this known at a news conference at the 174 Battalion, Ikorodu area of Lagos.

    Udoh was represented by the Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Moundhey Ali.

    The GOC, who said the suspects were arrested at different times and locations, explained that the arrests were a result of intensive surveillance and intelligence report.

    “In continuation of the crackdown on criminal elements and cultists in and around Lagos and Ogun states, the troops of 81 Division arrested 23 suspected cultists in Ikorodu area on April 16.

    “Over 50 suspected cultists from “Eiye” confraternity were conducting physical training for new recruits, initiation and planning for robbery and kidnap activities.

    “Their arrest was preceded by a shootout between the troops of 174 Battalion Ikorodu and the cultists after which, 23 of the suspected cultists were arrested while others escaped,’’ he said.

    The GOC said that two of the suspects sustained gunshot wounds, adding that one of the suspected newly-recruited cultists died as a result of injuries inflicted on him during the cult initiation.

    “However, one of our gallant soldiers, while combatting the cultists sustained a gunshot wound on his left leg during the encounter and was immediately evacuated.

    “The soldier and the 2 wounded cultists are receiving treatment at the Battalion’s Medical Reception Station.

    “Items recovered from the suspects include one locally-made double barrel pistol, five live cartridges, five machetes, four jack knives, two table knives, three locally-fabricated axes with nail like edges and five mobile phones.

    “Also recovered from them are one parcel containing substance suspected to be Indian hemp. Others are two ATM cards, eight identity cards, nine passport photographs, packets of condom, rings and a variety of charms,’’ he said.

    The GOC further said that the troops of the 81 Division also raided some suspected pipeline vandals at Ilara and Imagbon areas of Ikorodu to stop them from vandalising the country’s pipelines.

    “The suspected vandals, armed with AK-47 rifles, fired sporadically and fled on sighting the troops.

    “During the operation, sabotaged portions of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipelines were observed in Imoro Creek in Imagbon.

    “Items recovered from them include: one wooden boat, 40 empty jerry cans each weighing 50 litres and a 1,000-metre-long hose, ostensibly used in siphoning products by the suspected vandals.

    “The recovered items were destroyed and no arrest was made,’’ Udoh said.

    The GOC also said that seven impersonators were arrested alongside eight suspected vandals on April 17 in Lagos and Ogun states.

    “While on anti-bunkering patrol along Imoro Creek in Ikorodu, troops discovered sabotaged points along the NNPC Pipeline including a loading area in the Creek for siphoned products where eight suspected vandals were arrested.

    “Items recovered from them include; 10 Vehicles, 31 Jerry cans loaded with refined products, 77 empty Jerry cans, three coolers, nine mobile phones and substances suspected to be hard drugs.

    “Another set of 1,320 empty Jerry cans were also discovered and destroyed.

    “In addition, seven suspected impostors were arrested by troops while on operation CHECKMATE,’’ he said.

    Udoh expressed appreciation to the general public and particularly the people of Lagos and Ogun states for their continuous cooperation.

    He urged them to always give timely information that would help the Division in its operations.

    He pledged not to relent until the Area of Responsibility of the division was completely rid of all forms of cultism, vandalism and other violent criminal activities and elements.

    “The suspects are undergoing preliminary investigation after which they will be handed over to the appropriate security agencies for further investigations and prosecution,’’ he said.

  • Video of Sen Omo Agege being led into police hilux van

    The Senator representing Delta Central, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege who allegedly led hoodlums to cart away the national assembly’s mace has been arrested by the Nigerian Police.

    Recall that the senate through its spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi, has described the incident as a treasonable felony and vows the incident will be treated as such.

    Watch video:

     

  • PHOTOS: Police arrest Senator Ovie Omo-Agege over invasion of senate

    The police have arrested Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who was accused of leading thugs to steal the mace at the Senate.

    According to reports reaching TheNewsguru, Omo-Agege was whisked away in a waiting police van.

    A source who spoke to TheNewsGuru.com on the incident said about 10 suspected thugs who came to the venue with the senator forced their entrance into the chamber.

    Seconds later, the hoodlums ran out of the chamber with the mace causing pandemonium in the Senate.

    They left the National Assembly with the mace in a black SUV.

    See photos:

  • BREAKING: Police arrest Senator Ovie Omo-Agege over invasion of senate

    The police have arrested Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who was accused of leading thugs to steal the mace at the Senate.

    According to reports reaching TheNewsguru, Omo-Agege was whisked away in a waiting police van.

    A source who spoke to TheNewsGuru.com on the incident said about 10 suspected thugs who came to the venue with the senator forced their entrance into the chamber.

    Seconds later, the hoodlums ran out of the chamber with the mace causing pandemonium in the Senate.

    They left the National Assembly with the mace in a black SUV.

    Details soon…

  • Shiite Abuja protest : Police denies reports of deaths, arrest 115

    The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday, said it arrested 115 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria ( IMN) during a violent protest in Abuja.

    The police also debunked stories in the social media that some lives were lost.

    “No life was lost in the violent protest as the police operatives deployed to quell the protest were professional in handling the situation,” police spokesman,DSP Anjuguri Manzah said.

    The reports that the leader of the sect, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky was arrested by the authorities after a clash with the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff in December 2015.

    NAN also reports that the Shiites had organised several protests across the country demanding the release of their leader.

    DSP Anjuguri Manzah, in a statement, said that the protesters also injured 22 policemen and destroyed government and police vehicles during the protest.

    Anjuguri said that items recovered from them are: Catapults, Iron bars, Stones, Ball bearings and Pink head bands.

    He said that the protesters also attacked innocent citizens, disrupted business activities, obstructed traffic and smashed windscreen of vehicles in the affected areas.

    He said said that a Joint Team of detectives from the command in conjunction with operatives from the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit, have commenced investigation into the incident.

    “The arrested suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigation,”he said.

    “The FCT police command hereby warns members of Shiites movement from further disrupting the peace, harmony and free flow of traffic in FCT,” he said.

    He advised members of the public and parents not to allow their children or wards, to be used as instrument of violence in any demonstration by any group.

    The spokesman warned that anyone caught in the act of violent demonstration or any act capable of causing the breach of public peace would be made to face the wrath of the law.

  • Police arrest 19 suspects for kidnapping, cattle rustling, other offences in Niger

    The Police Command in Niger have announced the arrest of 16 suspected cattle rustlers, kidnappers and armed robbers that have been terrorising residents of the state.

    The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhammadu Abubakar, said this in a statement on Monday in Minna.

    He said that two suspected kidnappers were arrested with three AK 47 rifles, eight rounds of ammunition, two empty magazines, Army uniform, 14 cows, 20 sheep, 11 goats, one Gionee and one Infinix mobile phones at Mashegu and Borgu Local Government Areas.

    The police spokesperson explained that six suspected armed robbers were arrested for robbing one Alhaji Idris Zugurma of Mashegu Local Government Area.

    “The police recovered three locally made pistols, 11 cartridges, wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and charms from the suspects.

    “We have also arrested two suspected armed robbers and recovered a stolen Toyota Carina with Registration Number GGE 925 APP,’’ he said.

    He said that three other suspects were arrested for criminal conspiracy and armed robbery in Minna town and recovered an Acura MDX Jeep with Registration number MNA 435 JB.

    “We have arrested three suspects in Sabon Wuse of Tafa Local Government Area for unlawful possession of firearm and attempt to commit murder,’’ he said.

    He said that the command also arrested three other suspects in New Bussa and recovered two motorcycles with dangerous weapons while one of the motorcyclists’ left hands was cut off during the operation.

    The PPRO said that two locally made pistols, four life cartridges, fake FRSC identity card and a knife were recovered from the suspects.

    Abubakar said that all the suspects would soon be charged after investigation.

    He appealed to residents of the state to complement efforts of the command by giving information on movement of bad elements in their midst.

     

  • Troops arrest Boko Haram spy, kill 7 insurgents in Borno

    The Nigerian Army yesterday said its troops killed seven Boko Haram insurgents in the ongoing clearance operation in separate ambushes in Borno.

    The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri.

    Nwachukwu disclosed the troops also arrested a suspected Boko Haram insurgents’ spy, Modu Chari and recovered arms in multiple encounters with the fleeing terrorists on April 13.

    He said that the troops killed two insurgents fleeing from military onslaught in Sambisa Forest at Kusheri-Ardodam along Magumeri in Borno, adding the troops recovered two AK 47 rifles, three magazines and 18 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO type ammunition.

    Nwachukwu revealed troops also neutralised two insurgents in an ambush along a remote track in Mafa, recovering one AK 47 rifle, two magazines and a bicycle.

    In another ambush, he said, three fleeing insurgents were killed by troops at Multe-Lawanti, South of Furfur in Damboa, Borno, and recovered one AK 47 rifle, three motorcycles, two bicycles, spanners and dresses.

    The army spokesman disclosed that the troops on Friday arrested a member of the Boko Haram terrorists group, Madu Chari, while transiting along Cross Kauwa in the northern region of Borno.

    He explained that the suspect was on an espionage mission when he was nabbed by troops, adding that investigations indicated that Chari was an active member of the Al Barnawi faction of the terrorists group.

    “The ferocity of the ongoing Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency Operations to rid the northeast of Boko Haram hideouts and enclaves has further suffocated the terrorists group hence they resorted to suicide attacks on innocent civilians.

    “It is crucial, therefore, to draw the attention of the general public to the terrorists’ callous resort to the use of diverse types of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), to attack vulnerable civilians in their bid to instil fear amongst the populace in order to remain relevant.