TheNewsGuru

Tag: Robbery

  • Robbery: Detained MKO Abiola’s sons sue Lagos CP, demand N100m damages

    Robbery: Detained MKO Abiola’s sons sue Lagos CP, demand N100m damages

    Sons of the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, late Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, Kassim and Aliyu Abiola, have filed a N100 million fundamental rights suit against the Lagos state Commissioner of Police over their detention.

    The suit was filed through their lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

    The Lagos State Commissioner of Police was the sole respondent in the suit.

    Kassim and Aliyu, in the suit, applied for the enforcement of their rights to personal liberty, dignity of person, right to private and family life, as well as right to freedom of movement.

    They told the court that they were unlawfully arrested and detained at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ikeja, following a complaint that was lodged by their step-mum, Mrs. Adebisi Abiola, after the robbery incident.

    Among others, the applicants prayed the court to declare that “their arrest without warrant and subsequent and continuous dehumanization and detention since the September 2, 2020, by operatives of the respondent on the alleged complaint of one Mrs Adebisi Abiola, is illegal, unlawful, wrongful and constitutes a blatant violation of the Applicants’ fundamental rights as enshrined in Section 35 (1) (4) & (6), 37, 41 (1), 44 (1) and 46(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as altered, Sections 2, 3(1) (2), 17(1) (2), 18 (1) (2) (3), 19, 21 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, Lagos State, 2015, and Articles 5, 6 & 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights Ratification and Enforcement Act Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

    Aside from demanding for an apology, the Applicants equally asked for an order to compel the Respondent to pay them N100million as exemplary damages for the “wanton and grave violation” of their fundamental rights.

    The applicants told the court that they were discriminatorily singled out as a result of a complaint by their step mum, which accused them of complicity in the robbery.

    They told the court that though Police had since conducted several searches at their apartments, nothing incriminating or connecting them with any alleged stolen item belonging to their step mum was found.

    In a 21 paragraphed affidavit that was deposed to by Ubong Ikon, a Litigation Clerk in Chief Ozekhome’s Chamber, in support of the suit, the applicants, alleged that Police officers forcibly broke into their homes and arrested them with seven other people.

    Meanwhile, the applicants also filed an exparte motion and an affidavit of urgency, wherein they prayed the court to hear their case within the ongoing vacation period.

    When the case came up yesterday before the Ikeja High Court vacation Judge, Justice Abiola Soladoye, Messrs Chimaobi Onuigbo and Ejieke Onuoha, holding the brief of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, passionately prayed the court to grant bail to the detainees due to their poor health and lengthy detention period in the SARS dungeon since September 2, 2020. The judge however directed that the Commissioner of Police who is the sole defendant in the matter be put on notice about the suit.

    She consequently adjourned the matter to the October 15, 2020, and ordered that the file be returned to the Assistant Chief Registrar for re-assignment to a non – vacation Judge, for hearing.

  • Three robbery suspects set ablaze in Oyo bank robbery

    Three robbery suspects set ablaze in Oyo bank robbery

    Three members of a gang who attempted to rob a bank in Okeho, Oyo State were on Wednesday set ablaze by a mob.

     

    The gunmen had attacked the bank about 3pm with a detonated dynamite to gain access.

     

    But police spokesman Gbenga Fadeyi said policemen repelled the robbers, who fled in their bus as soon as their bid failed. Policemen, local hunters and others pursued.

    The robbers’ bus somersaulted, the mob swooped on them and set three of them ablaze, Fadeyi said.

     

     

  • Suspected robbers kill bank customer, cart away cash in Bayelsa

    Suspected robbers kill bank customer, cart away cash in Bayelsa

    Suspected armed robbers on Friday attacked a new generation bank in Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital, killing a customer, Mr Emmanuel Omomo, and taking away cash he withdrew from the bank.

    Police spokesman in Bayelsa, SP Asinim Butswat who confirmed the killing, said the incident occurred at about 10 a.m. inside the premises of the new generation bank.

    “The customer was accosted by unknown gunmen after he withdrew money from the bank.

    “The armed robbers who came in a black Toyota Camry car accosted the customer, one Emmanuel Omomo, when he came out of the bank after making the withdrawals.

    They shot him, collected all the money in his possession and zoomed off.

    “The victim was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was confirmed dead. Investigation is ongoing.” he said

    Butswat said the Police Command in the state had launched a manhunt for the unknown gunmen.

    An eye witness, who preferred anonymity, said the middle-aged man was leaving the bank with a bag suspected to be containing some amount of money when the masked gunmen accosted him.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the suspected robbers who were dressed in black atire alighted from a Toyota Camry car and shot sporadically.

    He said the victim who had already entered a waiting tricycle, on sighting the gunmen, ran inside the nearby bush, but the gunmen shot him and made away with the money.

    “Although, the armed security attached to the bank and nearby banks responded with scary shots, they could not hit the target due to the huge crowd at the bank premise,” he said.

  • Robbery suspect begs for death, says prison will only make him hardened criminal

    Robbery suspect begs for death, says prison will only make him hardened criminal

    A 27-year-old confessed robber and serial rapist, Adeniyi Ajayi, begged the Nigerian Police to kill him, instead of imprisoning him.

    Ajayi was arrested at the 7-up area in Ijora, Lagos after an alleged failed robbery attempt in a hotel.

    He disclosed that during his raids he raped women and maids in the presence of their husbands and bosses, as punishment for refusing to give him money, during operation.

    His modus operandi was to break into victims’ homes, ordering them to cooperate with him or risk being killed by other members of his gang whom he claimed had surrounded the building.

    When news of his arrest filtered round Sabo and its environ, eight victims, some of who were civil servants and lawyers, stormed SARS office to affirm that he raped them during operation.

    Among them were also two female staff of a company in Sabo, who disclosed that he raped them right before their male colleagues, in broad daylight on June 16, 2020.

    During interrogation, he admitted culpability. He said: ”Yes, I rape women whose husbands refused to give me money, and those tried to make things difficult for me during operation”.

    ”I operated alone, with just torchlight. But I would be giving orders to my imaginary gang members, on where to position themselves, just to give the impression that I was not alone”.

    ”The solution to this act is for the Police to waste my life because if they take me to prison, I will come back hardened and I don’t want to keep disturbing Nigerians. They should waste my life. They should just kill me to end it all.”

  • One killed, 36 arrested as Police foil robbery attack in Ogun, Lagos

    A special strike force of the Nigerian Police has foiled robbery attempts in communities within Ogun and Lagos states.

    It was learnt that a yet-to-be identified landlord was Saturday feared killed after suspected robbers attacked Micon area in Ahamadiya, a Lagos suburb.

    Announcing this in a statement Saturday, the Commissioner of Police Lagos State Command, Hakeem Odumosu, said 36 suspects had since been arrested and that the Command had ordered the immediate deployment of operatives to apprehend the remaining miscreants on the run.

    He said: “Operatives deployed are Special Strike Force on Social Miscreants, Anti Robbery Squad, Anti Cultism Squad and Raiders. They will comb various parts of Lagos State to support the efforts of Area Commands and Divisional patrol teams already deployed to the fields to tackle the menace of criminals and clampdown on violent crimes perpetrated by hoodlums.”

    According to Odumosu, operatives of the Command’s RRS are positioned in strategic locations to promptly respond to distress calls.

    “Patrols are intensified around markets and stores to prevent hoodlums from stealing and looting while patrol teams are equally deployed to the various communities and streets.

    “20 suspects were arrested on April 10, 2020 at about 8pm within Ilaje and Ajah communities for gang violence.

    “On April 11, 2020 at about 10am, Area B Command and Apapa Division responded to a distress call at Burma/Creek Road Apapa where seven hoodlums who were engaged in supremacy battle on the street were arrested”.

    He disclosed that their mission on the street was mainly to steal and loot under the guise of supremacy battle.

    “Nine suspects were arrested along Abule Egba and Ifako Ijaiye areas after operatives of Lagos State Command successfully foiled numerous robbery attempts on residents in communities under Ogun State, neighbouring Lagos State.’

    Odumosu disclosed that investigations were still ongoing and the suspects will soon be charged to Court.

  • First Bank speaks on staff’s involvement in foiled robbery at Abuja branch

    First Bank of Nigeria Limited has released a Corporate Statement regarding the alleged role of a staff of one its Abuja branches where a five-man gang of armed robbers had invaded and were promptly rounded up and arrested by a combined team of policemen and soldiers.

    Below is the statement signed and made available by Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications of the bank.

    ”We are aware that a customer service executive assigned to us by one of our vendors is helping the police with their investigations into the attempted robbery that happened last week in one of our branches in Abuja.

    We remain grateful that none of our staff or customers lost their lives during the incident.

    We will, however, refrain from commenting further at this time until the relevant authorities conclude their investigations and we urge all to cooperate fully to enable seamless investigations.

    As a responsible organisation that has built trust on the pillar of security and safety for over 125 years, continuous improvement involves taking learnings even from unfortunate situations to further strengthen our security protocols.”

  • Breaking: One dead, three arrested as Police foil bank robbery in Abuja

    Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command on Saturday foiled a bank robbery in a First Bank branch located in Mpape, a suburb in Abuja.

    According to eyewitness accounts, the robbers invaded the premises of the bank as early as 10am.

    However, less than 30 minutes into their operation, a powerful police team led by the FCT commissioner of Police Bala Ciroma arrived the bank premises.

    Two of the robbers reportedly surrendered while one who disguised in security uniform was killed by the security operatives .

    The suspected robbers are said to be young guys between the ages of 25-35.

    Mpape village a very busy place is now deserted as motorists abandoned their vehicles and scampered for safety.

    It became very clear that the thieves had hit the rock and luck had ran out of them when the personnel sorrounded the premises of the bank.

    Soldiers were also said to be involved in the Operations that led to the arrest ot the robbers.

    The operations which ended around 1pm this afternoon was said to have lasted for more than an hour.

    Details soon…

  • Two suspects arrested over attack on Maersk MD’s family

    Two suspects have been arrested in connection with a robbery attack on the residence of the Managing Director of Maersk Nig. Ltd., Gildas Tohouo.

    The incident occurred on Sunday at the Cul-De-Sac compound on Lugard Avenue in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.

    The suspects – Olamide Goke (an in-house electrician) and Ade Akanbi (his accomplice) had carried out the attack on the family while pretending to be in the building to rectify an electrical fault.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos, Mr Bala Elkana, confirmed the incident and the arrest to journalists on Tuesday.

    He explained that men of the Lagos State Police Command moved into the area shortly after the incident occurred and arrested the suspects.

    Elkana disclosed that Tohouo’s wife, Bernadette, a Hungarian and mother of three, died from injuries sustained from the attack.

    On his part, Tohouo was critically injured and has been taken to an undisclosed hospital in the Victoria Island axis of the state.

    The Police Public Relations Officer added that the suspects have been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal and Intelligence Department, Panti in Yaba, for discreet investigation and subsequent prosecution.

  • Ozil, Kolasinac robbery case adjourned

    Ozil, Kolasinac robbery case adjourned

    The hearing into the attempted robbery of Arsenal players Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac has been adjourned until Friday (October 4).

    The incident occurred on July 25 and the Arsenal duo missed the opening game of the Premier League season due to security concerns.

    Jordan Northover, 26, will appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court. He has been charged with attempted robbery and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place.

    Ashley Smith, 30, has been handed the same charges and will appear in court on Thursday.

     

  • UAE court sentences eight Nigerians to death for robbery

    UAE court sentences eight Nigerians to death for robbery

    Eight Nigerians have joined the death row in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after a court in Sharjah sentenced them to death for a string of armed robberies at money exchanges and cash machines across the emirate in December 2016.

    A ninth man was sentenced to six months imprisonment for being in possession of stolen money.

    He is expected to be deported after serving his sentence, according to Gulf News.

    The convicts were not named but the newspaper said a total of 20 suspects were originally arrested for attacking security guards in four violent attacks at ATMs and money exchanges across Sharjah in late 2016.

    They threatened and assaulted staff and members of the public with bladed weapons in a spate of robberies, three of which were carried out on December 18, 2016.

    The gang — who were all in the UAE on visit visas — were said to be highly organised and plotted a string of orchestrated attacks to ambush security trucks that were transporting money boxes to and from ATMs, and at least one money exchange in Sharjah.

    The first robbery took place at a Dubai Commercial Bank ATM on King Abdul Aziz Street where Dh340,000 was stolen, then two days later they attacked an ATM in Al Safeer Mall in Al Nahda fleeing with Dh700,000, and an ATM in Muweilah where they stole Dh710,000. A fourth attack at a money exchange office near National Paints was foiled by police.

    The police were able to recognise the suspects through surveillance footage captured at the exchange house in the mall.

    Video footage showed the convicts attacking security guards, making off with cash, and in one of the robberies slashing the hands of a security guard with a knife before running away with money boxes.

    Reacting to the death sentence passed on the eight Nigerians yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described it as unfortunate.

    In a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday, the presidential aide said the incident was not an actual description of the personalities of the people of Nigeria.

    She said: “It is an unfortunate incident, but it is not an incident that defines who we are as a people.

    ”If a few Nigerians have committed a crime for which they are being punished, thousands of Nigerians are doing great in that same country and are being appreciated and celebrated.

    ”Mr President who meets Nigerians every time he goes on official trips outside the country always appeals to them to be good ambassadors wherever they are.

    ”I must commend millions of our brothers and sisters excelling all over the world.

    “Bad news travels fast, and I appeal to the media to help spread the good news about Nigerians and not concentrate only on the once-in-a-while negative stories.”

    All the convicted Nigerians were not identified by both the Gulf News and Khaleej Times, both UAE local newspapers, which reported the trial.

    A total of 20 suspects were initially held for attacking security guards in four violent attacks at ATMs and money exchanges across Sharjah in late 2016.

    Out of the suspects, nine were convicted.

    The verdict was handed down by Judge Majid Al Muhairi of Sharjah Criminal Court on Wednesday.