The police have discovered a secret factory where a blacksmith was making illegal guns in Lagos, Nigeria.
During the operation, they said they confiscated barrel guns, pistols, cartridges, and drilling machines.
A well-known leader of a gang was one of over 30 people arrested.
Nigeria is facing a lot of safety problems, such as violent gangs, kidnappings for money, and an Islamic rebellion in the north.
Last month, the army found a place where guns were being made in the north-west part of Kaduna state.
AK-47 rifles, which are a type of submachine gun, and revolvers were some of the 26 weapons that were taken by authorities.
Last week, the police informed that armed groups were secretly bringing weapons into the south-eastern part of Anambra State from Cameroon.
The police said they found out who two blacksmiths were making weapons at the Lagos factory.
They were lined up with 30 other people who were also suspected of committing crimes. They will be accused of different crimes, like having illegal guns.
There is a belief that weapons were being provided to criminals all over the country.
Benjamin Hundeyin, who speaks for the police in Lagos State, said that the raid on the factory happened after a month of investigation. They received information about a blacksmith that led to the raid.
The police found an important person in a gang or cult who had two bullets for a 9mm gun. They believe this person killed someone from another cult in Lagos.
He and others who are believed to have done something wrong have not yet gone to court.
We don’t know much about the cult, but Nigeria has many of them even though they are not allowed.
The cults, also known as secret societies, have a structure like militia groups. They use special words to communicate and have symbols that represent their favorite weapon and color.
Tag: Nigerian Police
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Nigerian police bust facility making illegal guns
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Court grants Nigerian police plea to detain Seun Kuti for additional 4 days
A Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has processed an application to extend Seun Kuti’s remand for an additional four days.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Olatubosun, extended Kuti’s remand until May 22, 2023.
Simon Lough (SAN), who led a police legal team to the court, had moved the application.
According to him, the extension is to allow further investigation into the case.
Recall that Seun was arraigned in court on Tuesday after a video of him slapping a police officer went viral on social media.
The offence is contrary to Section 356 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act. The chief magistrate ordered his remand for 48 hours.
She, however, held that the defendant should be admitted to bail in the sum of one million Naira with two sureties in like sum, at the end of the 48-hour remand.
She said that one of the sureties must be a landlord within the jurisdiction of the court.
She had adjourned the case until May 22 for mention and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward a copy to the state director of public prosecutions for advice.
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UN peacekeeper convoy hit by blast in central Mali
There has been an increase in attacks on police in Nigeria ahead of the presidential election on Saturday.
Since the weekend, seven officers have been killed in the south-east of the country, where a separatist movement is seeking autonomy.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, has said the security forces have completed preparations for the election, and warned those who tried to disrupt the vote they would get a bloody nose.
Concerns have also been raised about the spread of disinformation ahead of the ballot, with the Centre for Democracy and Development warning of attempts to blacken the reputations of candidates by falsely accusing them of hoarding cash amid the continuing shortage of naira notes.
Source: BBC
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Nigerian police indict secretary, Evelyn Ngige over fraud
The investigation report by the Nigeria Police Force investigating claims of procurement fraud against senior members of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment has been made public.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the police investigation followed a petition by Phantom Digital Technologies Services Limited through its lawyers to the Inspector General of Police, which was sighted on Friday, over a contract for the supply of 14 vehicles undertaken by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Evelyn Ngige in violation of mandatory provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
The petition dated November 15, 2022, and titled had read, “Petition in respect of a suspected case of monumental fraud, obtaining by false pretences, corrupt practices and criminal breach of trust: urgent request to save our client and its management from victimization, continuous harassment, false information, intimidation, public embarrassment, and blackmail”.
It was signed by lawyers, Azeez Taiwo Hassan Esq and Adaobi Obioma Esq.
In the report signed by ACP Ibrahim Musa and sent to the Minister in-charge of the ministry, the police indicted two former Directors in the ministry, Uchola Emmanuel Ina and Abubakar Dangaladima for taking away vehicles worth millions of Naira belonging to the government while proceeding on retirement.
The report read, “Upon the receipt of the formal letter of complaint and in compliance with Inspector-General of Police directive for investigation of the case under reference, a painstaking investigation was carried out, in which the written statements of the under-listed persons were duly recorded at the IGP Monitoring Unit;
“3.1. Onuoha Ifeanyi Aged “39” “M” (Complainant); 3.2 Emmanuel Uchols Aged ’60’ “M’ (Suspect 1); 3.3 Otunba Dr. Adejare Adedapo Aged ’49 “M’ (Witness);
“That it was agreed by contracting parties that the contract term would be 7 days during which the said vehicles will be supplied to the Ministry upon fulfilling of the defined conditions required to enable Phantom Digital Technology Services Limited carry out his obligations
“That there was a delay occasioned by the Ministry as the procurement process was not completed until December 2021 thereby resulting in a hike in the market price of the vehicles of the specification covered by the Contract;
“That on the 23rd of December, 2021 after the agreement was signed, Managing Director Phantom Digital Technology Services Limited delivered Four(4) nos of Mikano ZNA Rich6 4 X 4 Petrol Pickup- vehicle 241 Engine at the rate of N22,521,250.00 (New Price) each against the rate of N19,500,000 (Old Price) to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, who took delivery of same;
“That to give effect to the new price, Managing Director Phantom Digital Technology Services Limited in a letter dated 17th February, 2022 to The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, informed the Ministry that the prices of the vehicle rose from N19,500,000 to N22,500,000 as a result of their delays in procurement process which lasted from 5th July to 14th December, 2021;
“That Managing Director Phantom Digital Technology Services Limited informed the Ministry that the total amount of the fourteen vehicles is now to be N353,097,500 against former price of N315,297,500.00 approved price, hence he applied for additional payment of N37,800,000.00 as the additional sum to be paid before he will supply the additional one(1) vehicle remaining;
“That Mr. Emmanuel Ina in a Memo T/FAL/23614/5.3042/1/30 informed the Permanent Secretary of the delivery of eleven(11) Mikano Pickups from Phantom Digital Technology Services in addition to the two earlier supplied making it a total of thirteen (13) and stated clearly to the Permanent Secretary that the remaining one(1) Vehicle will be delivered by the contractor.
“That the Memo T/FAL/23614/5.3042/1/30, also proposed the distribution the vehicles to different departments of the Ministry and captured the remaining one(1) vehicle yet to be delivered by the Company;
“That Mr. Uchola Emmanuel Ina in anticipation of the remaining one Vehicle yet to be delivered on 31st December, 2021 wrote a letter requesting for funds to be released for the fourteen vehicle to be registered but was directed by the Permanent Secretary in his Minuting dated 21/01/22 to stay action pending when Honourable Minister Commissions same;
“That while all these were pending Mr. Uchola Emmanuel Ina retired as a Director, General Services on 5th March, 2022, while Abubakar Dangaladima retired earlier as Director Weights and Measures on the 5th of June, 2021 from Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment;
“That Mr. Abubakar Dangaladima and Mr. Uchola Emmanuel Ina while proceeding on retirement took away the Prado Jeep with registration number 11A-18-FG and Toyota Hilux with Registration number 11A-70-FG respectively belonging to the Ministry based on the claim, that it was auctioned to them;
“That the auctioneers receipt dated 13th October, 2021 which Mr. Uchola Emmanuel Ina claimed was issued to him for the Boarding of the vehicle is irreconcilable with the Treasury receipt as the auctioneer receipt should have preceded the Treasury Receipt; That upon issuing several Police invitations to Mr. Abubakar Dangaladima, he returned the Prado Jeep with registration number 11A-18-FG to the Ministry while and Mr. Uchola Emmanuel Ina returned the Toyota Hilux with Registration number 11A-70-FG belonging to the Ministry to the Police which has been returned to the Ministry;
“That the Ministry cannot substantiate their allegation that Mr. Uchola Emmanuel Ina took away new Mikano ZNA Rich6 4 X 4 Petrol Pickup vehicle as the Ministry is having procurement issues with the supplier who has refused to supply the remaining one vehicle;
“Obvious that; From the findings, it is; There has been procurement misunderstanding between Phantom Digital Technology Services Limited and the Ministry over the supply of the remaining one (1) Mikano ZNA Rich6 4 X 4 Petrol Pickup as a result of non-consideration of the variation brought by the Company which involves the payment of additional sum of N37,800,000.00, due to change in price at the Market.
“And in the course of the procurement imbroglio, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry consciously directed and mandated Mr. Uchola Emmanuel (Director General Services) and D. A. Muhammad (Director Legal Services) to execute the said Contract Agreement dated 14 December, 2021 on her behalf, which is in contravention of Section 20 (1) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 which mandates the Accounting officer of every procuring entity to have overall responsibility for the planning of, organization of tenders, evaluation of tenders and execution of all procurements;
“The decision of Mr. Abubakar Dangaladima and Mr. Uchola Emmanuel Ina, to takeaway Prado Jeep with registration number 11A- 18-FG and Toyota Hilux with Registration number 11A-70-FG respectively, belonging to the Ministry upon their retirement cannot be justified as they could not provide evidence of boarding same to them.”
Source: Sahara Reporters
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3 people detained in Nigeria for ‘Criticising’ First Lady, Aisha Buhari
After the arrest of three suspects in place of a woman thought to be living in Saudi Arabia, the Nigeria Police Force has stepped up its campaign against Aisha Buhari’s detractors.
Detectives from the Force Intelligence Bureau, FIB, at the force headquarters tracked the trio and arrested them over their alleged “contact” with the principal suspect.
The newly arrested suspects are Salisu Isyaku, Salisu Habib and Zubairu Ahmed in lieu of a female suspect, Kaltim Ahmed, according to Daily Nigerian report.
It was gathered that the three “suspects” were arrested on December 14, 2022 and detained in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, without access to their families and lawyers.
Ms Ahmed, a fiery irredentist who criticises Fulani dominance of Hausa in audio messages shared on Whatsapp and other social media platforms had lambasted Mrs Buhari for ordering the arrest and participating in the brutalisation of a final-year student.
The Hausa nationalist said in the audio posted on the YouTube channel @jarumhausatv that the first lady’s grandparents were itinerant foreigners wandering in bushes, daring the first lady to arrest her.
“Your husband deceived us, lying and crying. It is good that we elected him, and his election had exposed all the Fulanis in Nigeria.
“Your government is silent about killing of Hausa people by Fulani. The southerners have rained all manner of abuses against you, but you are silent. Now you are here intimidating Northerners,” she said in the audio.
It was further gathered that detectives from the Force Intelligence Bureau, FIB, at the force headquarters tracked the trio and arrested them over their alleged “contact” with the principal suspect.
A security source at the presidency said one of the suspects, Salisu Isyaku, is a bureau de change operator, who was arrested for exchanging Saudi riyals to naira for the principal suspect.
“Initially, he was charged with terrorism financing but later changed to cyber stalking when the police realised that the transaction between them was not up to N500,000.
“The police are under intense pressure from Madam [first lady] to deal with the suspects. She wanted the suspects to be charged. Even the release of Dutse university student was not done with her consent, and she was angry with the IGP (the Inspector-General of Police] over withdrawal of charges against the boy,” the source added.
Spokesman for the Nigerian police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, did not respond to an inquiry on the matter.
SaharaReporters had reported In November last year, how the Nigeria police arrested a final-year student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Aminu Mohammed and one Zainab Kazeem, a former aide to the first lady, Aisha Buhari.
While the student was arrested for criticising the first lady’s size that ballooned recently, the former aide was arrested for allegedly getting access to the First Lady’s Instagram account and deleting her posts.
The duo was later released and charged dropped against them, following widespread outcry over their illegal arrest, detention and torture.
Source: Sahara Reporters
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Nigerian police officer charged with murder
A Nigerian police officer has been charged with murder over the shooting of a female lawyer in the main city, Lagos, on Christmas Day.
Drambi Vandi is alleged to have shot Bolanle Raheem at close range as she and several family members were driving home from a church service.
Many Nigerians are horrified over the killing of the lawyer, who was pregnant with twins.
The Nigeria Bar Association and human rights groups have demanded justice.
The association’s Lagos branch said it would institute legal action against the police to demand $10m (£8m) in compensation for Ms Raheem’s family.
Mr Vandi was remanded in custody in a magistrates’ court in Lagos on Friday.
He has not commented on the allegations and was not allowed to speak in court.
The Lagos State prosecutor said he should remain in detention to allow the police to continue their investigations – a request accepted by the magistrate.
The officer was suspended from duty on Wednesday.
Her mother was quoted by local media as saying she had worked as a hawker selling oranges so that her daughter could study law.
“She was taken away from me. She was pregnant with twins,” Ms Raheem’s mother said, adding that she had left behind a five-year-old daughter.
Announcing Mr Vandi’s suspension, police chief Usman Alkali Baba said he would not relent in efforts to ensure justice for the lawyer and appealed to the public “to be calm”.
In recent years, there has been increased attention on police brutality in Nigeria.
Nationwide protests, under the banner of the #EndSars movement, led to the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) being disbanded in 2020.
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Nigerian Police dismiss 24 officers and demote a number of others
Nigerian Police Sack 24 Officers, Demote Many Others Over ‘Protest Against Non-payment Of Osun Gov. Election Duty Allowance’
In a video , the South Sudanese president Salva Kiir Mayardit may be seen peeing in public while launching a road project on Tuesday.
Salva Kiir Mayardit who has been the President of the country since its independence on 9 July 2011 peed himself during the recitation of the national anthem.
Unfortunately, because the event was broadcast live on television, nothing could be done to rectify the embarrassing situation.
Salva Kiir Mayardit, 71, is believed to be suffering from a urinary tract infection, which is common in older men.
The viral video has elicited mixed reactions from the international community, with many social media users expressing opposing viewpoints.
Some also accused the cameramen of doing a dirty job by disgracing their president, while others said they did the right thing by exposing the President as medically unfit to lead a country.
Source: Sahara Reports
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Nigerian police arrest, detain sheep for ‘stealing’ in Borno
Following a report that a single sheep consumed a pile of for sale fried fish, the Borno State Police Command in Maiduguri apprehended the sheep and her two lambs.
The incident occurred at Bulabulin Ward in the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council on Saturday.
The sheep and her lambs were said to still be detained as at Sunday morning.
The arrest was made following a complaint lodged at the Bulabulin Divisional Police headquarters by one Yusuf Ibrahim who sells fish along a busy road in the neighbourhood.
According to Zagazola Makama, a Counter-Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst, Ibrahim complained that the sheep had been ‘terrorising’ him for years.
He said he had endured the intrusion and criminal behaviour of the animal for five years, but that its action on Saturday caused him huge losses.
Ibrahim further remarked that the sheep had formed the habit of coming around his shop and patiently keeping watch from a distance while he fried fish.
“And then as soon as my attention shifts, the sheep makes a dash towards the table and before I knew it, it had eaten as much as it could before being sent away,” he said.
He added that he had tolerated it for five years and had asked the owner to take action by putting the sheep on a leash. He, however, said his appeals were to no avail.
The owner of the sheep, one Luba Mohammed – a housewife, lamented that she does not know how and when the sheep developed a liking for fried fish.
She admitted that the fish seller had indeed complained to her several times over the years about the actions of the sheep.
The woman begged Ibrahim to temper justice with mercy and release the sheep, with a promise that she will either sell, slaughter or put it on a leash.
Source: Sahara Reports
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Nigeria arrests woman with 15 trafficked children
Nigerian police have arrested a 44-year-old woman for alleged theft of 15 children in the southern Rivers state.
The police say the children were abducted in order to be trafficked by the woman – who claimed to be a nun running an orphanage.
The children are reportedly aged between four and 15 years.
The police said they were working to reunite the children with their parents.
State Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, said investigations revealed that some had been abducted years ago, including a nine-year-old boy who had been taken from a market in 2020.
He said some of the children had recounted to the police their experiences of torture and mistreatment.
He said a further probe into the incident was ongoing with a view to arrest other suspects linked to the crimes.
Human trafficking is common in Nigeria.
Source: BBC
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Nigerian Police arrest woman with 15 trafficked children
A 44-year-old woman is in police grips for the alleged theft of 15 children in the southern Rivers state.
Per reports, the suspect claimed to be a nun running an orphanage.
The police say the children between four and 15 years were abducted in order to be trafficked by the woman.
State Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, said investigations revealed that some had been abducted years ago, including a nine-year-old boy who had been taken from a market in 2020.
He said some of the children had recounted to the police their experiences of torture and mistreatment.
He said a further probe into the incident was ongoing with a view to arrest other suspects linked to the crimes.
Meanwhile, the police are working to reunite the children with their parents. Human trafficking is common in Nigeria.