Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 50

SUMMARY OF MAJOR INCIDENTS BY CATEGORY

S/N	CATEGORY	MAJOR INCIDENTS
1	Kidnap/Hostage	3
2	Robbery	6
3	Gang	7
4	Drugs
5	Maritime Incidents	2
6	Terrorism	11
7	Political/Government Agencies	1
8	Murder/Assassinations	4
9	Rape Incidents	6
10	Others	5
	Review/Analysis

Kidnap/Hostage Incidents

Policemen Detained over Kidnap of Expatriates in Bayelsa

Two riot policemen were on November 30, detained by the Department of the State Security (DSS) over their alleged involvement in the abduction of three expatriate construction workers at Emakalakala community in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State. The expatriate workers, Muntaz Ahmad (Pakistan), Ghatar Abdul (Pakistan) and Sriri Raola (Pakistan), were working for Elmerit Company when they were abducted at gunpoint. The riot policemen, who were assigned to serve as guards to the men when the unidentified gunmen invaded their camp, allegedly did not fire a shot during the 45-minute invasion by the kidnappers. The abductors, numbering six, were said to have entered the community through the river and left by the same route with their victims, shooting sporadically.

LG Boss Abducted in Ekiti

Director of administration of Ado-Ekiti LGA of Ekiti state, Tayo Olawuyi and three nurses, have reportedly been kidnapped by unknown men. The abduction of Olawuyi was disclosed by a staff member of the local government, who pleaded anonymity. He said Olawuyi was accosted by the suspected kidnappers at the gate of his house. The nurses were said to be travelling to Ido-Ekiti, after close of work on the fateful day, when the abductors took them away in the private vehicle, which the victims were travelling in. However, the three nurses that were kidnapped have been freed by the police in the state, in a joint operation they carried out with local hunters. The police spokesperson said they were released from a location in Orin-Ekiti in the same Ido/Osi LGA of the state where they were abducted.

Police Seal Kidnappers’ Den in Lagos, Suspects Arrested

The Lagos State Police Command has sealed a house in Isheri Oshun area of Lagos State, where kidnappers allegedly keep their victims until a ransom was paid. The house was sealed after Police raided the place and rescued a kidnap victim, Alhaji Fashola Hammed. According to reports, the landlord fled and after one of the victims was rescued, some of the suspected kidnappers were arrested by the police. Those arrested include the occupant of the two-bedroom flat, his wife and younger brother. The couple, who lived in the house with their three children, keeps victims in the toilet with their hands and legs chained. The victims’ mouths were also gagged and opened only when they are to be fed. The suspects confessed to committing the crime and said their role was to keep the victims until ransom was paid. Other members of the gang are currently at large.

Robbery

Pipeline Vandals Killed in Shoot-out with Navy

Men of the Nigerian Navy (NN) attached to the Ikorodu Anti-pipeline Vandalism Taskforce, November 28, engaged suspected pipeline vandals in a shoot‎-out at the Abule Oja area of Lagos where their leader identified as “Blackberry” was killed. In the exchange of fire, three armed vandals in addition to the kingpin were killed while several others escaped with bullet wounds. The naval taskforce had discovered stolen products stored in 25 and 50 litre kegs, which were covered with leaves and hidden in the belly of the swamps. The Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ilesanmi Alade, said the vandals had attacked the patrol team, prompting an exchange of gunfire.

12 Ghanaians Charged with Pipeline Vandalism, Theft

Twelve Ghanaian fishermen were, December 2, arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged vandalism and theft of petroleum products. The accused are standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy, vandalism, stealing and sale of petroleum products. They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecutor told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 12 and were apprehended within the Nigerian territorial waters, close to Ibereko village in Badagry, Lagos. According to the prosecutor, about 540 kegs of 25 litres of petrol and 250 drums, containing about 250 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene, was recovered from the accused. He said the products were investigated to have been obtained from a vandalised pipeline within the locality. The court, however, ordered the accused to be remanded at the Ikoyi prisons until they perfect their bail terms

JTF Destroys 23 Illegal Refineries, Arrests 10 Suspects in Delta

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta said it had destroyed 23 illegal refinery camps and arrested 10 suspects for illegal oil bunkering activities. Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Colonel Mustapha Anka, on December 2, disclosed that the suspects will face the full wrath of the law. Anka said the operation was conducted by men of 3 Battalion, Effurun Barracks, at Oteghele and Ejere areas of Warri South West LGA of Delta State. Items discovered at the sites include 750 drums filled with substance suspected to be crude oil, 57 large metal tanks filled with stolen illegal refined Automated Gas Oil, AGO, and 48 cooking ovens, amongst others. The JTF spokesman said the items were destroyed at the site during the operation.

Gunmen Kill Lagos Businessman in Robbery Attack

Suspected armed robbers have killed a Lagos-based businessman, Michael Anyiam-Osigwe. The late Michael was until his death, the Coordinator General of the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation and a member of its Board of Trustees. The victim was said to be on his way to an engagement in Nkwerre, his home town in Imo State on November 30, when suspected armed robbers attacked his car on the Ore-Benin Road and shot him in the chest.

Two in Court over Theft of Air Conditioners Worth N10.5m

Two persons have been charged before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, for stealing air conditioners valued at about N6.3 million, property of one Mohammed Mukaila. The accused, Funmi Oshinaga, 56; and Uchenna Okolo, 35 were also accused to have forged way bill receipt of LG Air Conditioners, valued at N10.5 million and delivered to one Ugonna Ezenwa in Delta State. Oshinaga and Okola were arraigned by the police on a three-count charge bordering on stealing and issuing of forged receipt, to which they pleaded not guilty. Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N500,000, with two surety and adjourned till January 15, 2015 for hearing.

Enugu Police Smash 5-Man Armed Robbery Gang

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Enugu State Police Command, have arrested some armed robbery suspects that have been reportedly terrorizing residents of Abakpa-Nike and its environs. The suspects were nabbed by the operatives at their hideout in Abakpa, in Enugu East LGA. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amaraizu, disclosed that the suspects were arrested during a “raid in the early hours of December 1, following information received about their nefarious activities.

Gang Incidents

Five Arrested over Attacking NAOC Oil Well in Bayelsa

Five persons were, November 30, arrested over their alleged involvement in the multiple attacks on oil pipelines and oil well belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Okoroma community of Nembe LGA of Bayelsa state. The attack on the Agip facilities followed a dispute over a security surveillance contract awarded to some indigenes of the community by the oil company. The arrested youths had a forthright ago, worn masks and attacked the Oil well known as Oil Well 7 and the Obama Oil Field pipeline connecting the field to the Brass Oil Terminal and Tank Farm of NAOC with improvised explosives. The suspects, identified as indigenes of the Okoroma community, were released by the security agents, sparking off protests from the elders and youths of the community. They accused security agents of promoting lawlessness and possible oil crimes in the area.

Mother, Child Shot Dead in Rivers Cult Clash

A nursing mother and her child were killed when two rival cult groups clashed in Okoboh community in Abua/Odual LGA of Rivers State, on December 2. The two victims were caught by stray bullets during the clash which started at night, lasting till the early hours of the following day. Rivers Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Ahmadu Muhammed, confirmed the incident.

15 Feared Killed in Rivers Gun Attack

About 15 persons were feared dead in Omoku, headquarters of Ogba Egbema Ndoni LGA of Rivers State, following a shooting spree by gunmen who stormed the area on November 28 until they were chased out by men of the Joint Task Force (JTF). The gun were said to have regrouped on November 29 to continue the shooting at the market. Among those killed, sources said, was a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was simply identified as Godspower. The Chairman of the LGA, Austin Ayamadu, who condemned the incident, appealed to residents to remain calm, assuring that security men had taken charge of the area. Ayamadu said the gunmen went from one street to the other shooting before security men swung into action. The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Muhammad, confirmed the development, describing it as a clash between rival cult groups.

2 Dead as Hoodlums Clash in Lagos

Pandemonium, December 2, broke out in Amukoko area of Lagos State, as hoodlums battling for supremacy engaged themselves in a bloody clash, which left two people dead. The fracas, which broke out few hours after the All Progressives Congress (APC), Primaries held for House of Representatives, took place at the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Council Development Area, Constituency I, left several others with severe injuries. According to sources, the latest clash between the gangs had been brewing for a while. It was gathered that the heavy presence of security men at the primaries forced the combatants to put the fight on hold till night time, when they noticed less police presence on the streets and launched the attack against each other.

Gang Attacks Train in Lagos

A machete-wielding man alongside his gang members, November 28, attacked a Lagos-bound passenger train at Agege Station, shattering the side windows of the locomotive engine and wounding several passengers. The target of the man was the engine driver, but he missed him and shattered the side windows of the train’s engine in the process. The attack propelled the driver to move the train forward to Ikeja station. As the train moved, the man later started attacking the passengers hanging on the train’s engine and others hanging at the entrance of the coaches. The driver was later forced to stop and propelled back to Agege station in a bid to arrest the attackers. Only one of them was later arrested.

Drivers, Okada Riders in Bloody Clash at Lekki

Commercial motorcycle riders and shuttle drivers at Lekki Peninsula area of Lagos State, December 1, clashed over supremacy. Not fewer than six people were injured and 30 vehicles vandalized. Policemen attached to Maroko police station were said to have saved the situation and prevented it from escalating. Police arrested 28 motorcycle riders involved in the incident.

Four Die as Hoodlums Clash during APC Primaries in Lagos

Four persons were, December 2, shot dead and several injured at the Ebute Meta area of Lagos State as residents ran helter-skelter when gunmen opened fire in the area following a primary election conducted for two candidates of the All Progressives Congress ─ Oladele Adekanye (Lado) and Bashiru Oloto. The two men were aspiring to get the APC ticket to represent the Lagos Mainland Constituency one in the 2015 elections. Our correspondent learnt that the primary was won by Lado, a former council chairman. But immediately the results were announced, more than 100 hoodlums from Apapa Road, who wielded guns, among other weapons, trooped into the streets to create mayhem.

Drugs

Maritime Incidents

Navy Arrest 9 for N1bn Oil Theft

Nine suspected oil thieves have been arrested by the men of the Nigerian Navy in Bayelsa state. The suspects were arrested aboard a vessel laden with 66,000 barrels of suspected stolen crude oil worth about N1bn at Ekeremor field in Brass River area. Naval authorities have constantly lamented the spate of oil theft going on at the Brass/Nembe axis of the state. The vessel, MT Dera 1, belonging to an oil exploration and production company, was said to have gone to the Ekeremor field for product testing but was later discovered to have illegally loaded 66,000 barrels (11 million) litres of substance suspected to be crude oil.

Navy Arrests 3 Hijackers, 14 Others for Oil Bunkering

The Western Naval Command (WNC) has arrested three hijackers and 14 others for oil bunkering outside the Lagos water. The navy also recovered two pump action rifles and ammunition belonging to the hijackers after the personnel of the Special Boat Services (SBS) carried out a boarding and search operation. It was gathered that the hijackers had taken over the vessel suspected to be carrying stolen crude oil product from Igbokoda in Ogun State and was purportedly conveying them to Port Harcourt before they were arrested. Confirming the arrests, the Flag Officer Commanding, WNC, Rear Admiral Ilesanmi Alade, said the suspects were arrested on December 2 after the navy received an intelligence report that MV Long Island, an offshore boat service, was carrying suspected stolen crude oil products.

Terrorism

50 Terrorists Killed in Failed Maiduguri Invasion

Fifty members of the deadly Boko Haram sect were, December 2, killed in a failed attempt to invade Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, reported indicate. The military source said the soldiers from the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, repelled the expansionist move of the insurgents who attempted to capture Konduga, the closest town to Maiduguri from the eastern axis. A leader of the youth vigilante group claimed that the insurgents were repelled in Konduga by a joint team of the military and youth vigilante group, with the sect losing many of their men. He said the battle raged for about three hours.

Dozens Killed in Boko Haram Attack on another Borno Town

Dozens of people were, November 29, killed in a fresh attack on Shani town in Borno state by Boko Haram. Members of the town disclosed that over 30 armed Boko Haram fighters on motorcycles stormed Shani at night and started shooting at everything in sight. The insurgents put fire on houses to force residents out. A military source in Biu confirmed the attack, adding that the insurgents burnt down a police station and other public buildings.

Bomb-Laden Vehicle Destroyed, Female Bomber Caught

Nigerian troops have continued to rain devastating blows on their (terrorists’) hideouts and escape routes. The military reportedly destroyed a vehicle in Konduga, Borno State. The vehicle was laden with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) meant for suicide bombing operations by the terrorists. Kodunga is 30 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. In another incident, a teenage female suicide bomber was, December 3, caught heading towards the Maiduguri market. The young woman was stopped at a road block run by a civilian defense group and when searched, she reluctantly lifted her hijab to reveal explosives strapped to her abdomen, Muhammed Abbas, an official of the Nigeria Vigilante Group in Maiduguri said.

38 Policemen, 6 Soldiers, 106 Others Dead in Damaturu, Maiduguri Attacks

The Police High Command in Abuja, December 3, confirmed that 38 Police officers were killed during the two-day attack on Damaturu and Maiduguri by Boko Haram terrorists, who targeted police stations and other security agencies. More than 150 persons, including two medical doctors, a staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu and his two children were also killed during the attacks, according to reports. It was also reported that about 60 terrorists were killed by troops of the Nigerian Army backed by Air Force helicopters, thereby successfully repelling the terrorists from both towns. The military has also raised the alarm that the Boko Haram terrorist group was getting both human and equipment reinforcements from Chad as many of their members either captured or killed in battle turned out to be Chadian citizens or mercenaries.

Scores Feared Dead in Gombe Attack

Several people were feared killed, December 4, when gunmen believed to be members of the Boko Haram sect attacked Bajoga town in Funakaye LGA of Gombe State. Police Spokesman Fwaje Atajiri, who confirmed the attack, however, did not give the casualty figure. He assured that normalcy had been restored. The gunmen invaded Bajoga in the early hours of the day while Muslim worshippers were concluding their early morning prayers. The Divisional Police headquarters and Police Area Command at Bajoga as well as one of the banks were said to have been attacked and destroyed. Atajiri said the security agents engaged them in a gun battle and successfully repelled them.

Security Operatives Defuse Bomb in Jos

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was, December 2, defused in Jos by members of the Police Anti-Bomb Squad and the Special Task Force (STF) deployed to restore peace in Plateau State. An eye witness said the IED was discovered between Tin City School of Electronics and Fatima Primary School under a culvert around Laranto market area in Jos North LGA of the state. The STF spokesman, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, said the bomb was successfully defused, urging the people of the state to remain vigilant. He assured the people that security men are on the alert.

Suspected Fulani Gunmen Kill 9 in Nasarawa Attack

At least, nine persons were feared dead and scores injured as gunmen, suspected to be Fulani insurgents, December 2, launched an attack on Ashige community of Lafia East Development Area of Nasarawa State. The incident, according to eyewitness’ account, occurred when the AK 47-wielding Fulani gunmen attacked farmers who were returning home after laying ambush for them around River Ashangwa. One of those who conveyed the corpses of their kinsmen to the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, Gimba Audu, explained that his younger brother was one of those attacked by the gunmen. He said he was currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in Lafia, after sustaining a gunshot injury on the head during the attack. According to him, nine other people sustained varying degrees of injury and have been taken to private hospitals in Lafia and Ashige for treatment. He added that five persons were still unaccounted for.

Curfew Declared in Damaturu as Boko Haram Attacks Town

The military, December 1, continued its clampdown on the insurgents who attacked Damaturu, the Yobe state capital. In view of the upsurge in violence, the state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, has shut down the town and imposed a 24-hour curfew. The deadly Boko Haram, sect launched multiple and nearly simultaneous attacks on the capitals of Borno and Yobe States, Maiduguri and Damaturu respectively, on December 2. The sect had attacked many towns and communities in their renewed fierce hits in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. As normalcy has returned to Damaturu, after recent attacks on the town claimed about 100 lives, the governor on December 4, relaxed the curfew to 7pm to 6am.

Gunmen Attack Ekiti Prisons, Kill Official

About 60 heavily armed gunmen, December 1, attacked the federal prisons in the state and freed some inmates. The assailants, who were said to have besieged the facility at late at night, killed a prison official on guard, bombed  the main gate of the prison with the aid of rocket propel grenade  and dynamite, just as they killed all the 20 sniffer dogs tied in front of the gate. The Comptroller of Prison, Ekiti State, Mr. Kehinde Fadipe, who confirmed the attack, denied loss of life. He described the incident as an attack on the prison, not a jail break. Meanwhile, the police have rearrested 67 inmates that escaped from the prison. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Victor Babayemi, said the 67 escaped inmates were re-arrested in various parts of the state. He announced that some of the inmates had also voluntarily returned to the prison and had told the authorities that they had to run when the gunmen were shooting, after which they (the gunmen) had told all the inmates to leave.

Five Killed in Fulani Herdsmen’s Reprisal in Kogi

Five persons were killed while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed when Fulani herdsmen allegedly attacked Abugi community in Lokoja LGA of Kogi State. It was gathered that the incident which took place on November 28, was a reprisal over the killing by herdsmen of one Alhaji Abdullahi Zakari. The source said angered by the killing of Zakari,   youths in Abugi engaged in a reprisal in one of the Fulani settlements in the area, which allegedly led to the death of one person in the settlement. It was further learnt some Fulani elders later met with the paramount ruler of the community, Alhaji Kabir Isa for an amicable resolution of the crisis.

Insurgents Invade Ashaka Cement Factory

Suspected Boko Haram gunmen, December 2, stormed a French-owned cement company, Lafarge as they attacked two towns in Gombe state, Bajoga and Ashaka. The insurgents also raided banks and burnt government buildings as well as political party offices. Scores of gunmen dressed in military uniform arrived in Bajoga, in a convoy of 20 vehicles in the early hours of the day. The terrorists were pursued by the military for five kilometres, from Bajoga to Ashaka, after three hours of fighting, which also included an Air Force jet that bombarded militant positions. The insurgents thereafter drove towards the town of Ashaka five kilometres away near the border with Yobe state where the plant owned by French group Lafarge is located. Residents in Ashaka reported heavy fighting between troops and the gunmen in the town.

Political/Government Agencies

FRSC Arrests 97 with Fake Number-Plates, Licenses in Bayelsa

The Federal Road Safety Corps, Bayelsa State Command, has arrested no fewer than 97 motorists in connection with fake number plates and driver’s licenses. While 55 motorists were arrested for illegally acquired number plates, 42 were apprehended for fake driver’s licenses. The state Commandant, FRSC, Vincent Jack, lamented that despite public campaigns and enlightenment programmes, many motorists, who usually indulged in shortcut approach, were still falling prey to the antics of quacks. He also said the command had observed a common trend among tricycle operators where one person would have a driver’s license and photocopy for 30 other persons to use the same license. He said during the operation, the corps arrested some of them.

Murder/Assassinations

Policeman, Suspected Cultist Killed in Rivers

Gunmen, November 30, shot and killed a policeman and one other person in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. The incident took place at Amadi-Ama Town, causing pandemonium around the area as passers-by scampered for safety. Four armed men reportedly stormed the area and shot at a policeman and a youth suspected to be a member of a cult group. The policeman was said to have died after being rushed to a nearby hospital. The police, however, embarked on mass arrest within the area, where the incident took place following the killing of their colleagues. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Mohammad, who confirmed the incident, disclosed that 25 persons were arrested in connection with the killing of a policeman and a suspected cultist.

Gunmen Kill Two Policemen in Nasarawa

Two policemen on patrol were, on November 28, ambushed and killed by gunmen along Wamba road in Akwanga LGA of Nasarawa State. The spokesperson of the state police command, Ugochukwu Theodore, who confirmed the incident, said the slain officers were ambushed while on duty. Theodore said his command had commenced investigation on the incident. According to him, the policemen were attacked around Buku Village near Akwanga Local Government Area of the state. He disclosed that investigation had commenced to unravel what actually transpired while perpetrators would be unpunished.

Unidentified Assailants Kill Kogi Prince

Bloodbath was averted in Ejegbo community in Ankpa LGA of Kogi State as youths were prevailed upon not to embark on reprisal attack against the Fulani herdsmen following the gruesome murder of a son of the chief of the community, Chief Haruna Onuche, December 1 by unidentified persons. Investigation revealed that the prince had gone into the bush with his cattle when the assailants, suspected to be herdsmen, took advantage of the isolated place to kill him. When the villagers could not find Haruna after the day’s work, a search party discovered his lifeless body in a pool of his blood with machete cuts all over the body. The community youths mobilised for attack on the Fulanis but the chief prevailed on them to sheath their sword.

Mother of 3 Killed in Lagos

The police in Lagos State have begun investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of a mother of three children, who was murdered on December 1 and her body mutilated. The victim, Martha Ifewulu, was on December 1, murdered by yet-to-be identified assailant at her residence, 45 Salau Aliu Street, Oke Afa, Isolo area of the state. It was gathered that the deceased was said to be resting, when the assailant crept in and killed her. It was gathered that there were signs of violence between the woman and her killers as there were blood stains on the staircase of the three storey building.

Rape Incidents

4 Suspected Cultists Arrested for Alleged Rape

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested four suspected cultists for gang-raping a girl in Ondo town, after which they stole her handset. According to the police, the victim was raped as she was being initiated by the cultists. The command said the rapists were among 14 cultists arrested alongside six suspected robbers, three burglars, one fraudster and four kidnappers terrorising the state. Parading the suspects, the state Police Commissioner, Isaac Eke, said items recovered include cash, a car, a Lorry, among other items. The cult members are alleged to have been responsible for murder, rape and stealing in Owo, Ondo and Akure towns.

Worries over Increasing Rape of Minor in Plateau

Plateau State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Sarah Yusuf, has raised the alarm over the increasing rate of rape of minors in the state and appealed to parents of victims to stop covering it up as rape is a criminal offence. Yusuf lamented the increase in the rape of minors by old men. The Commissioner, who attributed the increase to drunkenness, rituals and other factors, further lamented the unwillingness of parents and relations of victims to come forward with timely information due to fear of stigmatization, ignorance and shame despite series of sensitization campaign. She stated that in recent months, the ministry received reports of over 10 cases involving girls between the ages of five and 15 with the suspected rapists being between the ages of 30 and 70. Police spokesman, Abuh Emmanuel, confirmed the increase in the reports of rape cases from across the state.

Man, 32, Accused of Raping 12-Year-Old

The police in Lagos have arrested a man, Tijani Lateef (32) for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old pupil in Lagos State. The victim, who lived with her parents, close to the suspect’s house, was said to have visited him as he celebrated his birthday, where she was served an alcoholic drink. The drink was said to have intoxicated her and she lost consciousness in the process. The suspect allegedly took advantage of her condition and raped her. The matter was reported at the Oke-Odo Police Division and the suspect was arrested for the offence. A medical test conducted on the victim confirmed she was raped. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and elected summary trial. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Y.O. Aje-Afunwa, admitted him to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Court Remand 3 in Prison over Rape and Theft

A Gusau Magistrate’s Court in Zamfara State, December 4, remanded three men, Isah Garba, Rabiu Ahmed and Abubakar Muhammad in prison custody over alleged rape, conspiracy and theft. The Prosecutor, Sergeant Daniel Longwal, said sometime in October, unknown persons entered the complainant’s house at Malikawa Village and stole 23 sheep, valued at N460,000 and four donkeys valued at N120,000. He said that on October 31, the accused persons went back to the complainant’s house and forcefully ordered his wife to follow them to a nearby bush, where they all raped her. The Magistrate, Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim, ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody and adjourned to December 24 for further hearing.

NSCDC Arrested Policeman over Rape of Mother-in-Law in Jigawa

A police officer attached to the Jigawa State command has been arrested by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for allegedly raping his mother-in-law. The state NSCDC Commandant, Muhammad Giado, ddisclosed that the suspect was arrested in Dutse municipal council. According to the NSCDC, the suspect admitted committing the crime and rendered a written apology and undertaking to his father-in-law. Gidado explained that further investigations were being carried out into the matter, after which the suspect would be arraigned.

Man, 27, Rapes Minor with Down Syndrome

A 27-year-old man, Austin Okonkwo, has been remanded in prison custody by an Evboriaria Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikpoba-Okha, Edo State, for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl with Down syndrome. The accused pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge preferred against him. Police Prosecutor, Aigbedion Obakpolor, informed the court that the offence was committed on November 29. When the case was mentioned, Chief Magistrate Frank Idiake, who refused the bail application, said rape cases were on the increase. The case was adjourned to January 21, 2015 for continuation of trial.

Others

Top Prison Boss Jail 7 Years

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of a top prison officer as Justice J.J Majebi of the Kogi State High Court, Okene, convicted and sentenced Joseph Friday Idachaba, Deputy Controller of Prisons, to seven years imprisonment for offences bordering on obtaining money by false pretence. This is as Justice A. Onyetenu of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, convicted and sentenced one Godfrey Obioha to a four-year jail term without an option of fine for dealing illegally in petroleum products. The Prisons boss is to pay of N1, 403,114.09 in restitution to Nigeria Prison Service. According to EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren the prison officer was "Arraigned in 2012 on a three-count charge, the convict was found guilty on count three of the charges by the trial judge, who, however, acquitted him on two remaining counts.

Akwa Ibom Bans Firecrackers for Yuletide

The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Gabriel Achong, has warned members of the public, particularly the users and marketers of explosives, such as firecrackers, to desist henceforth as those caught in the act would face the wrath of the law during the Christmas period. Achong, who gave the warning, explained that the ban on the use of explosives, especially during the Yuletide season, was to avoid distractions that would create opportunity for hoodlums to perpetrate crimes and criminality in the state. He warned the youths and persons who engage in masquerading and cultural displays to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the season.

2 Dead, 9 Injured in Ogun Trailer Crash

About two people were feared dead, while nine others were severely injured, December 1, in a multiple auto crash that occurred at Toll gate area of Ogun State. According to eyewitnesses’ account, the auto crash involved a cement-laden trailer, which rammed into five other vehicles all heading for Ota area of the state. The accident was said to have occurred when the fully loaded trailer, lost control and rammed into a car. The victims were two drivers of affected vehicles, while those injured include the truck driver, commuters and passers-by at the bus stop, who scampered for safety on noticing the danger.

Man Jailed 6 Years for Forgery

A Federal High Court sitting in Bauchi State has sentenced one Bello Muhammad to six years in prison for forgery. Muhammad was arrested on December 25, 2013 in Gamawa town, Bauchi State, for allegedly being in possession of fake N1,000 notes amounting to N471,000. He was charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in February, before Justice Garba on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, possession and dealing in counterfeit currency. Delivering his judgment, December 4, Justice Garba sentenced Muhammad to two years each on counts one and two, and a year each on counts three and four.

Inferno Razes Port Harcourt Market

An inferno, December 3, razed parts of the New Layout Market on Churchill Road area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Most of the traders blamed saboteurs for the fire. Some of the traders said they were at home, after closing for the day, when they got calls that the market was on fire. About 80 shops were destroyed by the inferno. Residents around the market wondered why the market had often been affected by fire incidences. The Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Dickson Umunakwe, said the state government had set up a team to look into the cause of the fire and make recommendations.

Review/Analysis

Robbery and gang related incidents remain top on the watch list for the authorities. The activities of crude oil thieves and pipeline vandals are also on the increase. Businessmen, the rich in the society are prominent in the list of affected victims of these crimes, particularly in the south-western part of the country and a few of these in the south-south region of the nation.

Also, terrorist related activities are also rising bringing losses to the citizens and the government as cities and villages are daily attacked by insurgent groups. More of these incidents are seen and witnessed in the north-eastern part of the country.  Rape incidents are also on the increase with minors falling easy victims. The report indicates that this scenario cuts across different parts of the nation, as such parents and guardians are urged to be especially vigilant and protective of their daughters and wards

Individuals and corporate entities should be security conscious and alert to their environments. It is important and much safer to inform the authorities of any threat or strange movements observed as such could prompt an investigation and prevent threats from becoming incidents.