Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo and Niger Republic have inaugurated “Operation Safe Domain II” as a collaborative effort toward eradicating piracy and maritime crimes within their maritime domain especially the Gulf of Guinea.
Speaking at the inauguration on Monday, the Director of Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC) Zone E, Commodore Aniedi Ibok, said the Operation was in furtherance of the implementation of the MOU on Joint Maritime Operations and Patrols (JMOP) agreed upon by the countries.
The programme had the theme: “Enhancing Maritime Security Through Collaboration for Regional Prosperity”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event holding at MMCC Zone E Complex is from Sept.11 to Sept.15 at Cotonou Port Naval Base, Republic of Benin.
The Yaonde Code of Conduct in 2013 divided the Gulf of Guinea into two sub regions coordinated in the West by the Regional Centre for Maritime Security in West Africa (CRESMAO) and to the East by the Regional Centre for Maritime Security in Central Africa (CRESMAC).
Thereafter, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Integrated Maritime Strategy (EIMS) established the three maritime zones of E, F and G in 2014.
Zone E was established earlier as the pilot project in 2013 and its success resulted in the establishment of other zones.
According to the director, the purpose of the JMOP is primarily to ensure the permanent, joint and coordinated control of the Maritime Zone E’ with a view to ensuring maritime safety and security.
He said that the operation was wholly sponsored by ECOWAS and Member States of Zone E.
Ibok added that the operation was necessitated by the high rate of illicit maritime activities including piracy and sea robbery reported over time in the Gulf of Guinea and West African waters in particular.
“These security challenges undermine the economic development of the zone while endangering the livelihood of local coastal communities and seafarers in general.
“Therefore, the operation will help defeat the adversary in whatever form they appear,” he said.
According to Ibok, the objectives of the patrols and joint operations are to pool resources of the states parties, make the maritime resources interoperable and evaluate the Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs).
“The objectives will also operationalise the right of hot pursuit as defined by the rules of engagement, multilateral and bilateral memoranda to secure the maritime area of the ‘Maritime Zone E’,” he said.
One of the ships participating in the operation Nigerian Navy Ship Aba.
The director said that the adopted strategy would comprise research and exchange of information, maritime and air surveillance as well as intervention of the operational units in case of necessity.
“This strategy will enhance the safety and security in the maritime domain of Zone E through operational patrols and sustained force presence at sea.
“It will also strengthen cooperation amongst Zone E countries’ navies and other maritime actors through capacity building in maritime law enforcement operations, intelligence sharing and technical assistance among others.
“This will invariably lay the foundation for further joint and combined operations,” he said.
Ibok recalled that the Zone E navies contributed similar assets during the execution of ‘Op SAFE DOMAIN I’ in November 2021.
“Some successes recorded from the operation include: the improvement of obtaining and sharing daily and weekly intelligence reports among member states, maritime stakeholders and partners in the zone.
“The successful arrest and trial of pirates onboard Chinese fishing vessel, FV HAILUFENG 11 and vessels of interest such as STI SOHO.
“The operation also led to foiling the attacks and setting free TOMMI RITSCHER and MAXIMUS with their crew,” he said.
Ibok said that Operation SAFE DOMAIN II would focus on routine activities within the framework of policing duties at sea so as to deny pirates and other maritime criminals, freedom of action.
The director said that the total water area to be patrolled and monitored for Op Safe Domain II spans 105,746sqnm which would involve three ships and a helicopter.
“I am trusting that member states zone and regional organisations will continue to support all efforts at tackling criminality at sea while sustaining the joint operations for the betterment of the Sub-region.
“Sustaining the joint operation and patrols will enhance security of lives and property in the Gulf of Guinea, particularly in Zone E’s waters for our shared prosperity,” he said.
The Benin Chief of Defence Staff, Brig.-Gen. Fructueux Gbaguidi, who said that the country had been facing piracy problems called out to neighbouring countries for help.
“That is why the four countries have come together to form a formidable force against piracy and maritime crimes.
“The collaboration of these countries led to the establishment of ‘Op Safe Domain I’ in 2021 and the success of the operation has led to ‘Op Safe Domain II’ in 2023,” Gbaguidi said.
He thanked the authorities of the four countries for coming together to enable the realisation and success of the operation.
“This has made it possible for us to realise the objectives of securing our waters and checkmating the activities of pirates and sea crime in our maritime domain,” the Brigadier General said.
The Benin Republic Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Captain Jean Le’on Olatoundji said that only the collaboration of countries can help improve the fight against the disastrous activities of piracy.
Olatoundji said that ‘Op Safe Domain II’ demonstrated the member countries common will to face up to the threat in the maritime domain and piracy in the zone.
“I am very confident in the crews’ abilities to carry out this noble mission successfully,” the CNS said.
The Director, Regional Maritime Security Coordination Centre, West Africa, Commodore Richard Shammah, said: “The issue of sea blindness is gradually being eradicated from our minds.
“Countries are now becoming more aware of the great economic importance of what the sea has to their various economy.
“So, for us to have economic prosperity at sea, we must have a safe and secured Maritime domain.
“This operation is necessary so that we can have a sea line of communication and trade and no one country can do it alone hence the collaborative effort .
“”It is my prayers that the aim and objectives of this collaboration shall be achieved because it will also tend to develop capacity with our navies,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
A public servant, Mr Surajudeen Olasinde, on Monday, narrated how his wife Mrs Mistura, and his two daughters; Hauwa and Fatima, were kidnapped around Galadima District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Olasinde, a staff of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), said the incident occured on Friday, Sept. 8, when his wife and the children were driving home in their Toyota Highlander from Garki to Starwood Estate where they reside.
“Their abduction happened around 7pm last Friday on their way from Garki. Immediately they reached Kabusa Garden Estate at the spot where the road was terribly bad, the kidnappers came out from the nearby bush and attack them.
“They started shooting to scare people away before they marched them into the bush,” he said
He said residents of the area quickly called the Divisional Police Station at Galadimawa immediately the news got to them and the DPO, Mr Jerry Cole, led a team of his officers to comb the bushes in collaboration with men of the vigilante.
He said the search effort was, however, unsuccessful.
Olasinde, an indigene of Offa in Kwara, said he was away in the state when the incident happened.
“I was not in Abuja when it happened because I have been transferred to Kwara State.
“But I was told that the police and the vigilantes searched the bush all through 3am on Saturday without success.
“We also contacted officers of the Department of State Services (DSS). They tracked the kidnappers’ movement and the search got to a forest in Kuje,” he said.
Olasinde, who arrived in Abuja on Saturday, said their captors called his brother-in-law to demand for a N100 million ransom.
“They asked for N100 million. Later, they brought it down to N50 million, then to N10 million.
“But at the end of the day, they asked us how much we had with us.
“The kidnappers even told us that if they killed my wife and my two daughters, they could sell their body parts above whatever amount we claimed to have.
“We resorted to begging, pleading with them not to harm or kill my family,” he said sadly.
According to him, when we told them that we didn’t have much money, they asked us about the Toyota Highlander and we told them that it was part of what we sold out to raise the money we planned to give them.
Olasinde, who said they were able to raise about N2.8 million, said the kidnappers directed them to bring the ransom Saturday night.
“They directed us to bring the money around 8pm on Saturday.
“They told us to go to Kabusa Village and pick any Okada rider (commercial motorcyclist) to a place where we did not know.
“My brother-in-law and I climbed the same bike to deliver the ransom.
“When we got to the thick forest where they were, they came out, collected the ransom.
“We gave them N2 million and N840, 000.
“It took about 40 minutes before my wife and daughters got to the point where we waited for them.
“So we begged the Okada rider to take my wife and daughters home, and to come back and pick us too,” he narrated.
On how his wife and daughters were faring, he said besides the injuries sustained, the psychological trauma was nothing to write home about
He said they were taken to a hospital for medicare.
Olasinde, who felt disheartening about the whole scenario, called on President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, to come to their rescue.
According to him, this is not the first time kidnap case has been happening in our area.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Residents of Starwood Estate, Mr Kayode Adedoyin, enumerated several kidnap cases that had taken place in the surroundings.
He called on the FCT minister to do all within his power to make their lives more secure
When NAN called the DPO of Galadimawa, Mr Cole, on phone about the incident, he said he had no permission to speak with the media.
He directed the reporter to talk to the FCT Police PRO, Josephine Adeh.
And when Adeh was called on phone, she said she was unaware of the abduction.
She, however, promised to get back to NAN as soon as she was briefed about the incident but she was yet to do that as at the time of filing the report.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Gunmen have killed 10 persons and injured one at Kulben community, Gindiri District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau.
A member of the community, Mr Jerry Datim, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Jos, that the incident occurred on Sunday night.
“Last night, at about 8:40 p.m., some gunmen attacked Kulben community, killed 10 persons and injured one.
“The criminals invaded the village and started shooting sporadically. People started running to safety but the bullets killed some whose bodies were later found.
“We alerted the security personnel, but before they got there, the attackers had moved from the community,” he said.
DSP Alfred Alabo, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state was not available for comments when a NAN correspondent visited his office
However, a senior Police officer, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the command had launched a manhunt on the attackers with a view of making them face the full wrath of the law. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
The Arewa Progressive Youth Forum (APYF) has commended the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa for keying into the Federal Government’s poverty alleviation programmes for families of wounded and fallen soldiers.
This is contained in a statement by the President of APYF, Saidu Danladi and Secretary, Maryam Bugaje, on Monday in Abuja.
The group also commended the military troops for the intensified operations against bandits and terrorists in the Northern region.
It said the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, had at a recent meeting with the CDS, hinted that the government would expand the social register to accommodate military personnel that had either been wounded or affected by war and families of the deceased personnel.
The group said the initiative would boost morale of troops that are currently engaged in internal security operations across the country.
It said the move would be a source of encouragement to troops to continue to give their best in defence of their fatherland knowing that their welfare was of utmost concern to the government.
According to the group, tackling the security challenges facing the North and the entire country calls for adequate attention to troops welfare.
“We commend the Chief of Defence Staff for keying into the Federal Government poverty alleviation programmes for families of wounded and fallen soldiers. It is definitely a morale booster for troops.
“We Northerners have really suffered banditry and terrorism as life has not been normal in our region with businesses closed down and our people continuing to struggle to survive for some years now.
“We are very much aware that troops tackling these malaise will be encouraged by this cheering news which concerns their welfare.
“We continue to urge youths to eschew all negative vices which has put us in this mess,” the group added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
The technical manpower of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has graduated 628 personnel from the 2022/2023 Sundry Technical Military Programmes at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT).
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, on Saturday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, was represented by the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, AVM Nnamdi Ananaba, at the event.
The air chief said the sundry technical programmes offered by AFIT continues to enhance the quality of skilled technical manpower of the NAF.
Abubakar said the programme had largely contributed to the NAF’s current status of being more self-reliant in the maintenance of its platforms and equipment.
According to him, aside the prestige and confidence gained from such self-reliance, NAF has also built internal capacity for some levels of training, leading to the elimination in cost of foreign trainings.
The CAS said that the training aligns with his command philosophy of “Transforming the NAF into an agile and resilient force that effectively meets the air power demands of national security in all operational environments”.
He added that AFIT, being NAF’s foremost training institution is well positioned to facilitate one of the key enablers of his philosophy which is “deliberate training and mission-oriented force development”.
Abubakar urged the personnel to continue to enhance their professional competencies, which he said is necessary to guarantee optimum aircraft serviceability and availability in furtherance of national security imperatives.
According to him, this is more so at a time like this when the country needs to operate optimally in order to effectively address the current spate of insecurity.
He said that the era of treating criminal elements with kids’ gloves is over, hence the need to continue on that trajectory until the enemies of Nigeria are brought to their knees.
The CAS thanked President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support to the Armed Forces and the NAF in particular, without which he said the current level of operational successes would not have been possible.
Earlier, the Commandant of AFIT, AVM Sani Rabe, said the 628 graduands consisting 37 officers, who had completed the Initial Officers’ Course, and 591 airmen/airwomen who had completed various Basic as well as Intermediate and Advanced Upgrading Courses.
Rabe said the institute had been training foreign personnel from sister African countries, adding that four officers from Ghana Air Force and three Airmen from Tanzania Air Force were part of the graduating personnel.
He said that AFIT had continued to serve the technical and logistics training needs of the NAF since its establishment as Technical and Supply School in 1977.
He added that AFIT received Presidential Assent to the AFIT Act in 2017, followed by its accreditation by the National Universities Commission as a full-fledged degree-awarding institution open to students from across the nation and abroad.
The graduation ceremony was witnessed by senior military officers from within and outside Kaduna as well as government dignitaries and traditional rulers. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
A pro-democracy group, Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) and the the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Saturday sensitised residents of an Abuja community, Abattoir, against use of hard drugs.
Mr Stanley Ugagbe, NACAT’s Operational Manager, said that the programme followed a discovery that the community in Karu was a major hub for the sale of illicit drugs.
Ugagbe, who cautioned residents of the area against the use of hard drags, highlighted the negative impacts on the society.
According to Ugagbe, Section 11 Part II of the NDLEA Act prohibits anyone without any lawful authority from importing, manufacturing, producing, processing, planting or growing drugs like cocaine, heroin or any form of illegal drugs.
“Acting upon a scoop, we conducted a clandestine investigation and uncovered how hard drugs are sold in broad day light in this area.
“As a group that is committed to the fight against drug trafficking, we are here today to sensitise the people against the gross implications of hard drugs.
“Hard drugs are not only dangerous to the people using them but also their families and the society at large.
“When able-bodied men who ought to be contributing meaningfully to the project of nation building resort to hard drugs, we will lose them to those drugs,’’ he said.
While emphasising that the law is clear on the use of hard drugs, Ugagbe urged the sellers to stop the business and find legitimate businesses to do.
“There are so many legitimate businesses you can do to make a living in this country.
“We are appealing to the sellers to put an end to this business that has become a menace in this area,” he said.
Ugagbe also urged those who patronise hard drug sellers to desist from doing so.
“If you starve the sellers of patronage, the business will die a natural death,” he said.
On his part, the NDLEA FCT Command Officer in charge of sensitisation, Augustine Nduka, commended NACAT for sensitising residents of Karu against the dangers of hard drugs.
According to Nduka,the Chairman of NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa had graciously said that the war against illicit drug use was not something the government can do alone.
“That is why we are happy when NGOs take the initiative to collaborate with us as they talk to all segments of the society to sensitize them against the dangers of getting involved in illicit drug use and trafficking.
“The NDLEA is doing so much to ensure that we lessen the impact of these drugs on our society, on the population in general.
“There is marijuana, there is crack cocaine, there is cocaine, there is colorado, there is methamphetamine, ice, there is rohypnol, there is tramadol and there is pudding cough syrup,” Nduka said.
He emphasised that NDLEA was particularly concerned about the banned substances.
“That is why this morning we are happy working with Network against Corruption and Trafficking. And we are welcoming other NGOs, community-based organizations and religious bodies.”
According to Nduka, the agency is looking forward to more collaborative efforts in the future.
He said: “Any other organisation, be it the Church, Mosque, community based organisation, town union meeting, you are free to invite the NDLEA and they will come and talk to your people against dangers of getting involved in illicit drug trafficking and abuse.
“Thank you very much and God bless you all as we stay off drugs in our society.”
Nduka said that the group observed during investigation that hard drugs bought in bulk from states were hidden in bags of garri, rice, cattle and transported to Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roadshow started from ECWA junction in Karu through Abattoir and ended at Abacha road, Karu.
Participants displayed placards that read “Friends Don’t Let Friends Do Drugs”, “Spot the sign, break the chain” and “Your Potential is Limitless without Drugs”.
Others were: “Love Yourself: Break Free from Substance Abuse” and “Say no to drug trafficking’’. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
The National Defence College (NDC), on Friday graduated 113 participants of its Course 31 drawn from the Armed Forces, strategic ministries, departments and agencies.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that other participants were also drawn from 20 friendly countries.
Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, Commandant, NDC, in his remarks at the event said that the composition of the participants included 39 Nigerian Army officers, 22 Nigerian Navy officers and five Nigerian Air Force officers.
He said others included six Nigerian Police Force officers, 20 personnel from various MDAs and paramilitary organisations, as well as 21 officials from foreign countries.
He said the graduation ceremony was organised to honour the ladies and gentlemen who had diligently participated in various strategic paper writing exercises and field trips over the last 11 months.
“The total number of participants graduating today, as we have been told, is 113 persons drawn from the Armed Forces of Nigeria, selected strategic ministries, departments and agencies of the Government of Nigeria, as well as from 20 friendly countries.
“Composition of the participants includes 39 Nigerian Army officers, 22 Nigerian Navy officers, 5 Nigerian Air Force officers, six Nigerian Police Force officers, and 20 officers from various ministries, departments, agencies and paramilitary organizations, as well as 21 officers from foreign countries.
“These ladies and gentlemen have diligently participated in various strategic paper writing exercises and few trips over the last 11 months, and this is the day to honour them accordingly,” he said.
The commandant said that the college was established on June 16, 1992 as the National War College with the mission to develop future leaders, sufficiently equipped to analyse issues as well as provide strategic leadership among others.
He also said the college community had provided quality academic and administrative supports throughout the duration of the course.
According to him, the Module 9 of the College Course Curriculum is dedicated to the higher management of defence package involving exercises that simulate real life scenarios and review of national defence and security policies.
“Remarkably, the exercises for this year were focused on some of the most daunting security challenges facing Nigeria and through these exercises the college has equipped the participants with adequate knowledge and skills necessary to face the current volatile and complex environment.
“Participants have also received specific training in strategic decision making, future strategic perspectives, net analysis and policy implementation.
“It is therefore envisaged that this set of participants will contribute to covering implementable solutions to current and future national, regional and indeed global challenges,” he added.
Olotu further said that the college had over the years trained several resourceful senior officers in both civil and military domains from foreign nations, which had enabled the building of bonds among the alumni.
He added that the college also leverages the opportunity to build bridges across nations and this is achieved through interpersonal relationships established by the Nigerian participants and their foreign counterparts.
“It is heartwarming to note that in its 31 years of existence, the college has made significant impact on several sectors of Nigeria and the various participants from within and outside the country contribute to policy issues which affect the nation in one way or the other.
“I’m equally proud to say that the long line of this college have been involved in national assignments and varying degrees with great successes, thus projecting the image of the college in good light.
“Doubtlessly, the college has made footprints in the political terrain of not just Nigeria, in the West African Sub region and beyond,” he added.
NAN reports that the graduation ceremony involved awards of Fellow of Defence College (FDC) and Masters Degree in Strategic Studies to participants after 11 months of intensive training as well as award of excellence for outstanding research papers to deserving participants.
One of the foreign participants, Col. George Ngue Baha from the Cameroonian Air Force, said the course had enriched his knowledge in both strategic and command levels to address security challenges in his country.
Ngue Baha said the challenges of security and development in Africa required broad approaches to tackling them and commended the Nigerian Government and the college for affording him the opportunity. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
By Rita Iliya
An unidentified man was electrocuted while trying to steal transformer cables in the early hours of Friday inside the premises of Niger State Printing Press in Minna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the corpse of the man was found by some staff of the printing press hanging on the transformer on Friday morning.
Head of Legal Unit of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Aminu Ubandoma, confirmed the incident to newsmen.
He said the company had been receiving several reports of transformers vandalism.
He disclosed that the company was working with security agencies, especially with the police, to ensure the rate of transformer vandalism was reduced to the barest minimum.
Also confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Niger Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said at about 11:00 a.m. on Friday, an incident of suspected electrocution/vandalism was reported.
He said the incident occurred around old secretariat area at the printing press premises where a body of a male adult, yet to be identified, was found at a transformer with cable cutter and some vandalised cables.
He was suspected to have been electrocuted.
Abiodun said the body was taken to General Hospital Minna by Morris patrol team and was confirmed dead in the hospital.
He noted that effort was ongoing to locate the relative of the deceased as the incident was under investigation in collaboration with AEDC. (NAN)
Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Tukur Buratai, says the victory of President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Elections Petition Court has reinforced triumph of democracy.
Buratai, who is also a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, Wednesday’s verdict of the court validating the election victory of Tinubu not only upholds the principles of justice and fairness but also reinforces the triumph of democracy.
He congratulated the President on the victory and called on all Nigerians to actively engage in the democratic process, adding that each citizen must embrace their civic duty and contribute to the betterment of our nation.
“Together, we can build a stronger society where the voice of every individual is heard and respected.
“Let us all unite under the banner of democracy and strive towards a brighter future for our nation.
“While political affiliations often divide individuals into different parties, it is crucial to recognise that once elected, there can only be one president at a time.
“It is, therefore, essential for all citizens, regardless of their party affiliations, to unite and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Buratai said.
He said that by setting aside our differences and working together towards a common goal, we can foster a sense of unity and ensure the effective functioning government.
“It is through this collective effort that we can maximise the potentials for positive change and encourage the development of policies that benefit the entire nation.
“It is essential for us to acknowledge that, despite our varying political affiliations, we all share a common objective – the advancement of our nation,” he said.
The former army chief said that success of any political party hinged on its ability to serve the interests of the people, uphold democratic principles and promote unity.
He urged all Nigerians to concentrate on matters of utmost importance and engage in productive discussions that would bring about positive transformation.
He said that every segment of the society played a crucial role in the peace, development, security, and progress of the country, adding that states and local government administrations were particularly essential in this endeavour.
He explained that states and local governments, being the closest level of government to the people, bore the responsibility of effectively providing essential services, maintaining law and order, and promoting economic growth within their respective jurisdictions.
According to him, by working in tandem with the Federal Government, states and local governments can address the unique needs and concerns of their communities, fostering a sense of inclusivity and empowerment.
“Their involvement in policy-making and implementation allows for a more comprehensive approach to national development, ensuring that every citizen can benefit from the advancements and opportunities that arise.
“Therefore, the states and local government administrations must carry out their responsibilities efficiently as they form the backbone of our nation’s progress and prosperity,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng).
The Police Command in FCT has arrested Bunmi Samuel, mother of two, her boyfriend and 12 others over alleged various crimes including kidnapping, armed robbery and burglary in the territory.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Haruna Garba, who paraded the suspects at the command headquarters on Thursday in Abuja, said the suspects were arrested at different locations in the territory.
Garba said that various assorted weapons, vehicles, laptops, phones, musical instruments among others were recovered from the suspects.
According to him, 36 years old Bunmi Samuel was arrested along with his boyfriend who specialised in snatching GSM Phones from innocent commuters.
“After snatching phones, he removes the SIM cards and sells the phone then hands over the SIM cards to his girlfriend one Bunmi Samuel.
“The girlfriend on her part makes withdrawals of all monies from the accounts that are linked to the SIM cards.
“The police operatives have so far recovered 76 SIM cards, two Opay ATM cards and a golden wrist watch from the suspects,” he said.
He said that the police operatives in collaboration with the vigilante also arrested five suspects namely, Bernard Francis, Felix Benjami, Peter Benjamin, Helen Sylvester, and Hamza Haruna over alleged involvement in kidnapping of a minor.
According to him, police also arrested 26 years old Kennedy Esezobor of Tudun Wada village, Lugbe, FCT a notorious criminal and cultist with one fabricated single barrel gun and locally fabricated AK-47 rifle
He said the operatives of the Anti-kidnapping unit of the Command acting on actionable intelligence stormed Kabin Mongoro Forest and arrested one Mohammed Hamza while on his way to bandits camp bordering Nasarawa State.
“The suspect confessed to being an informant, a drug and food supplier to one Dogo,” he said.
According to him, the command in a swift operation has between Aug.30 and Aug. 31, impounded six vehicles bearing both foreign and local plate numbers or with foreign number plates at the back and Nigeria number plate in front of the vehicle.
“The modus operandi of these drivers is that they use the vehicle to convey unsuspecting passengers and midway to their destination, they dispossessed of their handsets and other valuables.
“The moment they carry out this criminal act and to avoid being traced or linked to the crime, they quickly remove the Nigeria Plate number,” he said.
He said that police also arrested 38 years old Mustapha Kyari, who specilaised in vandalising manholes in the city
He was subsequently arrested and three manholes recovered from him. He, however, confessed to the crime and that of his accomplice by name Abba.
“The police operatives while on a routine stop and search duty at Secretariat junction, Gwagwalada, intercepted a motorcycle with a passenger later identified as one Japheth Nuhu ‘m’ of behind Brown Berry estate phase 3 Gwagwalada.
“The said Japheth jumped down and took to his heels on sighting the Police but was given a hot chase.
“He was subsequently arrested and a berretta pistol with four rounds of 9mm live ammunition was recovered from him,” he said.
According to him, it is being suspected that the suspect and his accomplice at large are behind the robbery activities in Gwagwalada and its environs.
The CP said that the operatives of Anti-violence crime section of the SCID also arrested one Musa Matins suspected to be an armed robber at Durumi Area.
“In the course of investigation, the suspect confessed to having been involved in snatching and stealing of cars in and around the FCT.
“So far he has led the Police to the recovery of two Toyota Camry vehicles with registration number MAG-149 AR (Borno) and RBC-445 AS (Abuja).
“Effort is currently ongoing to trace the rightful owners of the recovered vehicles,” he said.
Garba said that a Toyota Camry 2018 model with reg no: KRD411HT (Lagos state) stolen from Port Harcourt on Sept. 3 was also recovered on Wednesday
“In a similar development, the operatives of anti-violence crime, while on patrol, arrested the duo of Gabriel Oliver and Emmanuel Ishaku.
“In the course of investigation, they confessed that they carried out attacks in a Redeemed Christian Church of God Bethel Centre, Galadimawa, Abuja and carted away several high definition electronic gadgets properties of the Church.
“The suspect led the police operatives to Bauchi and Plateau respectively, where the items were recovered. Effort is being made to arrest the co-accomplice who are on the run,” he said.
He said that the suspects would be charged to Court at the conclusion of investigation. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Chioma Ugboma
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