Police remove DPO over lawyer’s illegal detention

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The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Gowon Estate Division, in Lagos State, has been removed for allegedly detaining a lawyer who was seeking justice for his client.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the removal in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Hundeyin, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Mr Adegoke Fayoade, ordered the immediate removal of the officer from the division.

He said that this followed the conclusion of investigations into the allegations made against the DPO, as published in the media on Jan. 4.

He said that the DPO would be removed pending a review of his case by other supervisory authorities.

“The CP had earlier ordered a thorough investigation into the matter upon receipt of the publication.

“CP Fayoade has equally directed the OC Legal of the Command to initiate steps to reach out to the Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos State Branch, to enable a round table discussion.

“The meeting is aimed at preventing a recurrence of the avoidable incident and enhancing better Police-Lawyers relationship,” he said.

The spokesperson said that the command would continue to uphold the rule of law and sanction any officer found wanting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a Lagos-based lawyer, Olumide Sonupe, was hospitalised after detention by the police. 

Sonupe was seeking the bail of his client at the Moshalashi Police Station in the Alimosho area of the state on December 30, 2023. (NAN)

SITUATION REPORT ON THE INCIDENT AT ABATTOIR POLICE STATION, Agege Lagos

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Abdulmalik Abdullahi arrived at the Abattoir Police Station on 8th January 2024 to report a serious assault he had suffered earlier that day.

According to his statement, at around 4:00am, Bashiru Ahmed attacked him using a sharp knife, resulting in the severing of his right ear. The motive behind the attack was revealed to be a misunderstanding that had occurred between the two individuals in the previous year, 2023.

Following the incident, Abdulmalik Abdullahi was immediately taken to the hospital for urgent medical attention.

He is currently receiving treatment for his injuries, and his condition is being closely monitored.

Bashiru Ahmed, the accused person, was apprehended by the police and is presently in custody.

The police are conducting further investigations into the incident to gather more evidence and establish the full circumstances surrounding the attack. Any significant developments in the case will be communicated to the public at a later time.

Ogun Chief, Adeyinka Folarin Assassinated In Targeted Attack By Gunmen

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Three unidentified gunmen have killed Adeyinka Folarin, the Baasegun of the Itunsokun community in Ogun State.

The assailants, suspected to be cultists, arrived at the residence of the deceased around 8:00 pm and left after the chief breathed his last.

Sagamu is known for cultism and high-powered violence.

A resident, who wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons, stated that the motive for the dastardly act remains a mystery to neighbours.

Staffers of Sagamu Local Government, who pleaded anonymity, said that the incident threw the area into shock.

As of the time of filing this report, circumstances surrounding the death were still unclear, but DAILY POST gathered that the deceased had been buried according to Islamic rites.

When contacted, the State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, confirmed the incident, assuring that the police were doing everything possible to get to the root of the murder.

“I have just returned from Sagamu; it is true, we are suspecting murder, and we are on top of it.

“We are trying to unravel the mystery behind the death. I just returned from the scene in Sagamu now.”

Unjust Incident: Ogun State Police Officer's Refusal to Acknowledge Wrongdoing and Apologize

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In a recent incident at the Alidodo Hotel, I experienced an unsettling encounter with a group of police officers. The situation took a distressing turn when one officer made derogatory remarks, branding me as handicapped, and shockingly refusing to express any remorse for his actions.

Approximately 40 minutes before recounting this incident, I found myself in an unexpected and distressing situation. While in the hotel's restroom, I overheard a familiar voice. Upon shouting the name "Junior," I was met with a shocking response. The officer, without any basis, questioned whether I had lost my leg and callously dismissed the possibility of having made such a statement.

In an attempt to assert my innocence and perhaps elicit an apology, I chose a unique approach. I left the restroom unclothed, expecting that the officers, upon seeing my vulnerability, would reconsider their statements and offer an apology. However, to my dismay, the officer responsible for the offensive remark remained steadfast in his refusal to apologize.

Despite my outcry, the officer in question adamantly stuck to his claim that he had not used any offensive language. Even after admitting to referring to me as handicapped or a "no leg man," he failed to recognize the impact of his words and the distress it caused. This refusal to acknowledge wrongdoing raises concerns about accountability within law enforcement.

I expressed my deep emotional distress, highlighting that such derogatory statements could lead someone to contemplate suicide. The refusal of the officer to offer a simple apology amplifies the gravity of the situation and the potential long-lasting effects on the mental well-being of individuals subjected to such treatment.

This incident sheds light on the importance of accountability and empathy within law enforcement. It serves as a stark reminder that acknowledging mistakes and offering sincere apologies are crucial components of maintaining trust between the police force and the community. Instances like these underscore the need for continued efforts to foster understanding, empathy, and respect within law enforcement agencies.

Signed 

Administrator of Ogun Governance Focus

Otutuloro Hassan Adisa Taiwo

Mob kills two over alleged murder in Ogun

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Two yet-to-be-identified persons were reportedly lynched by a mob for allegedly killing a 12-year-old boy, Ayomide Agunbiade, for ritual purposes in the Odo Alaro area of Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State on Tuesday.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Agunbiade had gone missing on Christmas Day (Monday) which was his birthday after someone identified to be his uncle had come to pick him up in the absence of his mother that he wanted to celebrate his birthday with him.

A village elder who pleaded anonymity because he was not permitted to speak on the matter told our correspondent that it was when the case of the missing child was escalated within the community on Tuesday that a boy, said to have witnessed the moment the missing boy went with his uncle, told the search party that an uncle took him out on Monday.

The source further informed PUNCH Metro that when the uncle was confronted about the allegation of knowing the whereabouts of the missing boy, he denied anything about his whereabouts but that the boy insisted that he was the one who came to pick him for the birthday celebration.

It was also gathered that upon further interrogation by some community members, the said uncle confessed to know Agunbiade’s whereabouts but told them that he had killed him for ritual purposes.

The source said, “The boy went missing on Christmas Day (Monday) which was his birthday. We learnt that an uncle of his had come to pick him up when his mother was not at home. He was playing with other children in the community when the man came to pick him up that he wanted to celebrate his birthday with him. “It was yesterday (Tuesday), when the family began to look for him but couldn’t find him that they raised the alarm in the community before a boy whom they were playing together with told the family that it was an uncle that came to pick him for his birthday celebration.

“When we asked the man to take us to the place the child was, he and one other guy took us to an uncompleted building where we found the body of Ayomide with his head missing.

“It was the sight of the state of Ayomide (Agunbiade) that infuriated the crowd who had gathered in numbers. The crowd descended on them and lynched them before police officers came around and took their bodies away.”

When contacted for a reaction, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, did not respond to messages sent to her and did not reply to calls made to her line as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, a senior police source close to the community confirmed the incident but declined to comment further for lack of authority to speak with the media.

“The incident truly happened but you know I cannot make comments on it because I am not authorised to speak with the media.”

Lagos police nab woman for bathing husband with hot water

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The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a lady identified as Dorcas Oluwabukola for allegedly pouring hot water on her husband in the Meiran area of the state over suspicion of infidelity.

A police source, who did not want to be mentioned in the media, in the Meiran division, told PUNCH Metro that the suspect would be transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department once the investigation was completed.

PUNCH Metro reports that the incident, which was said to have happened about five days ago, was trending on multiple social media handles, with claims that the wife became irked after the husband attended his childhood friend’s wedding without her company.

This was believed to have led to an altercation between the couple, leading the wife to commit the alleged crime. While assuring the public that the matter would be thoroughly investigated, the police source said the division was monitoring the progress of the husband, who had been hospitalised since the incident.

The source said, “It is true the incident happened. The incident happened about six days ago. It was a true story. She poured hot water on her husband purposely because she felt that he cheated on her.

“They were supposed to go to a party together. However, the husband went all alone. We are still monitoring the progress of the husband because he has been hospitalised since that day. He has not been discharged. We arrested the wife immediately because that is a capital offence. There is no option for bail. We are waiting for the appropriate time for us to move the case to the state CID.”

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, was not available for comment as of the time this report was filed.

Man snatches gun from policeman, kills one in Rivers

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There was pandemonium, this weekend, in Chinda/Ada George in Rumuepirikom, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, when a man reportedly killed one person with an AK-47 rifle snatched from a police officer. It was gathered that the said man, simply identified as Nuhu, a popular scavenger in the area, was suspected to be on hard drugs when he seized the arm from the police and started shooting.

A source in the area said a bullet from the shooting picked one person and that the victim died on the spot, adding that people scampered for safety.

The source added that some police officers quickly mobilised to the scene after Nuhu was said to have shot the victim dead.

Nuhu reportedly had engaged the Police officers in a shootout but he was later neutralised by the police operatives and the AK-47 rifle was retrieved from him.

The source revealed that a Police officer from Rukpakani (Ada George Police Division) and other officers came to retrieve the two corpses.

Reports had it that before Nuhu snatched the AK-47 riffle, he had chased some people with dagger in the morning.

The Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the shooting incident, said details were sketchy.

One dies in Ogun cult clash

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A yet-to-be-identified male adult was reportedly killed in a fresh cult clash that happened at the Afobaje area in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State over the weekend.

This is just as one other person, Kazeem Abiola, sustained a bullet wound that has left him hospitalised.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the clash occurred midday on Friday when some armed men suspected to be members of the Eiye confraternity stormed the area, shot the victim on his chest and inflicted a machete wound on him while Abiola was shot in his abdomen.

An eyewitness who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity noted that the clash was a suspected cult clash between the Eiye and the Alora confraternities. The source said, “The incident happened in the afternoon. What I saw was that some men who were on motorcycles stormed the area and they attacked two persons. There was panic as everyone was running for safety when we heard the gunshots. It was when the police arrived that we saw that two persons were shot. One of the victims was placed on a motorcycle but I doubt if he will survive the attack because he was bleeding profusely.

“It has been a while since we last experienced a cult clash in this area and I think the guys are now back with their attitude. I wonder why someone will indulge in cultism. There are rumours that it was the members of the Eiye and Alora confraternities who were fighting.” When contacted, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the clash stressing that only one person died while the other person was currently receiving treatment at a health facility in the state.

She said, “There was a suspected cult clash around the Afobaje area. One yet-to-be-identified male was shot and macheted on the left side of his chest. During the clash also, one Kazeem Abiola, a male, was shot below his abdomen and his leg but he is currently stable after receiving treatment at a health facility.”

Odutola further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alamutu, had ordered a manhunt for the fleeing suspects while assuring the public not to panic and go about their daily activities without fear.

“The CP, Abiodun Alamutu, has been briefed and he has ordered an immediate manhunt for the perpetrators. There has been relative peace within Ogun State for a while now and the police will continue to ensure that lives and property of the good people of Ogun State are safe.

“The CP has also ordered the deployment of officers to major highways especially as we approach the Yuletide season. Ogun citizens are hereby urged to remain peaceful and continue their daily activities without fear,” she concluded.

Kidnappers return to Lagos, abduct two, demand N500m ransom

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Some residents of Lagos State have raised the alarm over the spike in cases of kidnappings in the state in recent times.

 PUNCH Metro learnt that the incidents had largely been recorded on the Mainland, particularly in the Alimosho and Amuwo Odofin Local Government Areas of the state.

 It was also gathered that wealthy people were the soft targets for the abductors who demanded huge ransoms.

 Checks by our correspondent on Thursday also revealed that the significant rise in the trend became noticeable in the areas around August.

The most recent, however, is the abduction of a car dealer popularly known as Ejike Conversion in the Ladipo Spare Parts Market on Saturday night.

 Ejike was said to have been taking an inventory of his newly imported goods in front of his plaza around 12 am when some armed men swooped in on him and his workers.

  While his workers fled for safety following the sound of gunshots, Ejike was not so lucky as the armed men attacked him, dragged him into their vehicle and drove off.

A trader and member of the Board of Trustees of the market, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the abduction on Thursday while noting that the development caught many traders in the market unawares.

“Yes, Ejike was kidnapped in the market on Saturday night. It is a surprise to many because it happened late in the night when almost every trader in the market had gone home at the end of business. The market closes daily at 6pm. He was abducted at his warehouse when he was taking delivery of his goods delivered from China very late in the night,” he said.

A source in the market who also spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, on Thursday, disclosed that the abductors had opened communication with the family as they demanded N500m.

The source said the family had since been negotiating for the reduction of the amount but they were yet to reach an agreement with the kidnappers.

“Ejike is still with the kidnappers. They are demanding N500m and the amount is too much. The family has been negotiating with them but they did not reduce the amount. They insisted on collecting the amount. He was kidnapped around 12 am in his office. The police had also been informed,” the source revealed. In a similar development, a yet-to-be-identified businessman was allegedly kidnapped earlier this month in the Ago Palace area of the state while the kidnappers demanded a sum of N500m.

 A project architect, Daario Naharis, while narrating his experience on Wednesday via his X handle (formerly Twitter), said he was almost abducted in the area in November where the abductors blocked his vehicle while in motion.

He wrote, “I had this experience firsthand last month in this same Ago. I was coming home around 12 am when some guys with 2.4 Camry blocked me on motion. I bashed into their back bumper, alighted immediately considering the way they drove and bolted away seeing four doors opening at instant.

“My saving grace was that I was riding on a heavier vehicle as the impact devastated them. Before they could reconcile it, I made a decision in a nanosecond and crossed to the other road. If they were just robbers, they would have ransacked or taken the vehicle along.

“I have never had the courage to speak about my experience that day except seeing this tweet, never knew what came into me to go into them with such speed which turned out to have saved me in that situation. Those guys were properly armed and casual.”

In what appeared like a syndicate, a group of unidentified armed men were said to have kidnapped the owner of a popular hotel located at Grandmate bus stop in the Ijegun area of the state in October. His family reportedly paid about N100m as ransom before he was later released.

 Similar cases were recorded on Governors Road in Ikotun, Gowon Estate in Egbeda and other locations in the Alimosho Local Government Area as the victims were made to part with huge ransoms before they were released.

 PUNCH Metro had reported that a 13-year-old girl, Miracle Adereti, was kidnapped by an unknown gang in the Ikotun area of Lagos State on December 1 on her way home from school.

 The father, Segun Adereti, while lamenting the abduction of his daughter, said, “We had no inkling of such a wicked act by this gang, who falsely claimed that, as a politician, I have sufficient funds to secure my daughter’s release.”

  “We’ve received threats warning us not to involve the police. But as a family, we are deeply distressed and have no choice but to seek help from law enforcement agencies,” he added.

 A source within the police told our correspondent that only a few cases of kidnapping in the state were reported at the police station because of the threats by the abductors.

 When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, promised to confirm and get back to our correspondent. He had yet to do so as of the time this report was filed.

Ondo ex-convict allegedly kills father’s tenant, dismembers victim’s body

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The Ondo State Police Command on Sunday said it arrested a man, Fatai Bakare, for allegedly killing a 42-year-old woman, Onyimi Grace, at Ore town in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

As contained in a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, the suspect was an ex-convict and he committed the dastardly act on December 8, 2023.

The statement read, “On the 8th of December, 2023, at Ore Division in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, it was reported that one Onyimi Grace, aged 42 years, was found dead and concealed in a Ghana must-go bag in an uncompleted building close to the house and the landlord’s son, Fatai Bakare age: 28years, was strongly suspected because he had blood stains on his leg.

“The Police swiftly visited the scene but the suspect had absconded. The suspect was later arrested the next day on his way to Ode Irele town in Irele Local Government Area of the state.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is an ex-convict and an internet fraudster. The blood-soaked clothes found in his house were the clothes he wore on the said day.”

The PPRO also stated that the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Command for further investigations on the matter.

Ex-convict remanded for raping six-year-old to death

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The Yaba Magistrate’s Court on Friday remanded a 20-year-old ex-convict, Azeez Tajudeen, for allegedly raping a six-year-old girl (name withheld) to death in the Ayobo area of Lagos State.

Our correspondent gathered in court that Tajudeen lured his victim with biscuits to an uncompleted building where he removed her clothes, and raped her four times with his hands on her mouth until she passed out from pain and suffocation.

According to the police prosecutor, Chekwube Okeh, the defendant, not knowing what to do when he found out that the girl was no longer breathing, left her corpse there naked and fled.

Okeh told the court that the defendant committed the crime on September 9, 2023, around 4 pm, at Moricas Street, in the Ayobo area of Lagos State.

According to the police, the mother of the deceased, on the day of the incident, returned from her hawking business but could not find her daughter. She raised the alarm and people joined her in the search for the child.

It was learnt that someone later reported that the girl was last seen with Tajudeen, who used to come to her house to fix stools for her.

The mother told the police that when Tajudeen was called and questioned, he initially denied knowing the girl’s whereabouts, but after further interrogation, he confessed to having carried her to an uncompleted building after buying her biscuits. He also said, “I slept with her three to four times and she fainted. I did not know that she would die, so I left her there and ran away.”

He was arrested by the Ayobo police officers whom he led to the uncompleted building where the girl’s corpse was recovered naked with her clothes scattered on the floor.

 The apprentice carpenter confessed that he had planned to sleep with the child but did not plan to kill her.

He further stated in court that he was an ex-convict, who got out of custody in August 2023.

According to Okeh, the offence contravenes Section 222 and is punishable under Section 223 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.

“That you, Azeez Tajudeen, on September 9, 2023, around 4 pm at Ayobo, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District did unlawfully defile and kill one (name withheld) aged eight years old and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 222 and punishable under Section 223 of the Criminal Law State, 2015.”

The defendant’s plea was however not taken. The magistrate, Balogun, ordered that Tajudeen be remanded immediately to prison custody and the case file duplicated and sent to the DPP for legal advice.

She adjourned the case till January 22, 2024, for legal advice from the DPP.

Policemen ‘kidnapped’ me, collected N1m for my release, man alleges

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One Mr. Samuel Soyemi has recounted how some men who claimed to be police officers from Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos State invaded his house and drove him and his family away in their vehicle.

In what Soyemi described as both an abduction and armed robbery, he said the cops transferred the sum of N1,025,000 from his account before he, his wife and other family members were let go.

Soyemi told PUNCH Metro on Thursday that the incident happened at around 11 p.m. on October 10 when the armed men invaded his house in the Osiele area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

According to him, the police officers accused him of being a ritualist and cultist, an allegation he said was untrue and unfounded.

The young man recalled how the officers drove them to the premises of the Ifo Police Station and asked them to pay a sum of N10m, otherwise, they would not be seen again.

Without going into the station for any documentation, Soyemi said the officers later succeeded in transferring money from his bank account into an Opay account.

“We hardly eat at home as I am talking to you, because I had to borrow the money I sent to them that day. My wife and I are going through hell, with a nine-month-old baby at hand. Everything they took from me is almost N3m, including phones and jewellery. I need justice. We went to Zone 2, but nothing was done about the matter. The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, should come to my aid,” he cried out.

Soyemi‘s lawyer, Kayode Aderemi, told our correspondent that a petition had been written to the office of IGP Egbetokun.

A copy of the petition, it was gathered, was also made available to the Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, on November 30.

According to a copy of the petition obtained by our correspondent, seven armed men reportedly stormed Soyemi’s residence in Osiele, seizing valuables worth over N2m aside from extorting him to the tune of N1,025,000.

The petition read, “At about 23:00 hours (11:00 p.m.) of October 10th, 2023, seven men stormed our clients’ house at Alanco axis, Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State. These men were fully armed with guns. They later identified themselves as police officers from the Police Zonal Command, Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos State.

“Without stating allegation of any crime against our clients, they ransacked our clients’ two-bedroom flat and took several valuables belonging to our clients. The valuables include a golden bracelet worth N750,000; a diamond earring worth N650,000; an iPhone 11 worth N400,000; a New Age power bank (20 mAh) worth N20,000; and three iPhone chargers worth N6,000 each.

“After all these items were forcefully taken at gunpoint, our clients (a total of six family members) were arrested that same night and driven to the Ifo Police Station, Ogun State.

“Afraid for their lives, our clients immediately placed emergency calls to family and friends to request financial support. Then, a total N1,025,000  was immediately transferred to the account provided by one of the officers later identified as Officer Oladapo Olayemi.

“The account that the police officer received the money N1,025,000 is OPay 9126240487, belonging to one Olufunke Ebunoluwa Samuel. Our clients later learned that on the same night, the money was remitted to the Access bank account of Officer Oladapo Olayemi.

“Our clients also informed us that they have reported the matter to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2 who has invited them. Our clients have honoured the invitation but that nothing concrete has come out of it.”

In his appeal, the counsel pleaded with Egbetokun to investigate and prosecute the seven police officers “that committed this act tantamount to robbery.”

He also asked that Soyemi’s N1,025,000 and other items taken away be recovered.

Aderemi urged Egbetokun to protect the Soyemis over fear that the cops could return to harm them, “since these seven police officers already know the house and other details of our clients.”

He added, “We are ready and willing to provide statement of account to evince the transactions referenced above should they be required.”

When contacted on Thursday, the FPRO, Adejobi, acknowledged the petition, stating that every petition was treated objectively, especially when the petition bothers on unprofessionalism and corruption.

Asked if any action had been taken, Adejobi expressed assurance that necessary action must have been taken on it, asking the complainant to follow up through police complaint platforms.

“Definitely, every petition is attended to and treated objectively, more so when it borders on unprofessionalism, highhandedness, and corruption.

“I am sure necessary action must have been taken on it. He can also follow up on the case through our complaint platforms,” Adejobi said in a text message.