COMMISSIONER OF POLICE LAGOS STATE.

114 killed in Lagos in 4 months, says CP The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Yakubu Alkali, has said more than 114 people were murdered in the state between November 2010 and March this year. Briefing journalists at the command’s headquarters in Ikeja, the first since he assumed office, Alkali said eight out of those killed were policemen. He disclosed that about 25 armed robbery cases were recorded while 169 suspected armed robbers were arrested during the period. More 114 persons were murdered between November 2010 and March 2011, including eight police men, 46 suspected robbers were also killed during exchanges of gunfire with the police,’’ Alkali said. The commissioner said that 96 assorted arms and1,103 ammunition were recovered from some suspected criminals. According to him, the command also recovered 492 vehicles, including unregistered ones stolen in the state, and different parts of the country. Alkali said the command was fully prepared and motivated to safeguard lives and property in the state, adding ``people in the state can go to bed with their eyes closed’’. The police boss called on the public to always give useful information to the police in a bid to check criminal activities. On the April general elections, Alkali promised the readiness of the police to ensure free and fair elections and urged politicians to shun thuggery and violence. 31 people suspected to be involved in different crimes, including kidnapping, were also paraded before journalists. Other items paraded include three AK-47 rifles, 10 magazines fully loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition each, seven pistols, 10 cartridges and eight vehicles. ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''""""""""""""""""""""""""" Firefighter decries incessant attacks by public A Federal Fire Service chief, Godwin Ekeria has called on the Federal Government to protect its workers against attacks by the public. Ekeria, Operations Commander, Federal Fire Service, Lagos command, made the call while reacting to an alleged attack on some federal firefighters on March 12 in Lagos. The alleged attackers claimed that the firefighters arrived late at the fire scene. Ekeria said the alleged attack was not the first of its kind. The commander blamed late arrival of the workers at fire scenes on poor communication. He said many fire victims were not able to communicate with firefighters in time of distress. Ekeria said lack of communication equipment, fire engine, rescue apparatus and some other tools hindered the operations of the service. He urged private telecommunication companies to donate lines to the service to improve communication. The commander called for the provision of hydrants, as well as road repairs, to facilitate the operations of the service. ============================ Experts suggest stiffer penalties for smugglers Assistant Legal Adviser in Nigeria Customs Service, Paul Ikhenoba on Tuesday called for stiffer penalties for smugglers. Ikhenoba made the call in Lagos at a two-day forum of Inter-Ministerial Working Group on the Review of Customs and Excise Management Act. He urged the group to ensure that offenders were given maximum fines and specific years of imprisonment to deter people from smuggling. Ikhenoba said emphasis should also be on trade facilitation and Information and Communication Technology. Customs Assistant Comptroller, Ehi Ogbebor attributed the high rate of offences committed by people to lapses in the Act. Ogbebor said the Act provided minimal sanctions for various customs offences. He said presently, the penalties for offences that worth millions of Naira were as low as N600 and even below N600 in some cases. Ogbebor said the review of the Act would enable customs to function effectively and scare perpetrators from carrying out illegal and unlawful activities. Speaking on Modern Customs Procedures that benefit the Business Community, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Oni Egboma, said the working group would look at the whole of the Act and recommend amendments. He said the amendments would be in areas like transactions of goods and customs duties. According to him, the international community is a global place and there is no way the customs can operate in isolation. Egboma explained that Nigeria as a member of the World Trade Organisation, could not afford not to comply with international practices. He said the international practices had to be domesticated by putting a customs law in place. The Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Joseph Odumodu, who was represented by Secretary/Legal Adviser, Paul Angya urged the committee to re-write the Section 4 of the Act. --------------------------------------------------- Federal High Court fixes hearing in case against IG for April 20. A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday fixed April 20 for further hearing in a case by Chief Mufutau Oloyede against the Inspector -General of Police. Oloyede, who also joined the commissioner of police, Lagos State and one Fatai Aromire in the suit, alleged that he was illegally arrested. He is demanding N10 million as compensation for the alleged arrest. In the suit before Justice Okechukwu Okeke, the plaintiff is seeking a declaration that his arrest and detention between the July 10 and July 25, 2009 was unlawful. In a 38-paragraph affidavit, Oloyede said that in 1998 and 1999, his name was presented as the next Ojora after the demise of Musibau Bashorun of Ejimosun, the then Aro of Ijora Oloye. He said he was legally installed as the new Aro of Ijora Oloye Kingdom on Dec. 7, 1999, and that since his installation he had been threatened and harassed by Aromire. Oloyede said he was detained at the Area C Police Station after he was invited on Dec. 10, 1999, following a petition written by Aromire over the chieftaincy tussle. He added that he was subsequently detained and brutally beaten by the policemen attached to the station. The plaintiff pleaded with the court to make an order restraining the respondents from further harassing, threatening him with arrest or detaining him or any of his family members. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Sexagenarian docked for fake appointment letter, pay slips A sexagenarian, Rabiu Adris, was on Tuesday docked at an Igbosere Magistrates Court in Lagos over an alleged forgery and impersonation. Adris, 60, who is facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and falsifying documents, has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleged that the accused presented a fake letter of appointment of Oando Plc and pay slips while he stood as surety to an accused. Cpl. Innocent Odugbo told the court that the offence was committed on March 10 at Court 13, Igbosere Magistrates Court. The prosecutor said the accused, and another still at large, forged the documents dated Jan. 14, 2002 and also presented himself as the company’s district manager, Airport Terminal Depot, Lagos. Odugbo said the offence contravened Sections 467, 468, 484 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State. The Magistrate, O. A. Ogunsanya, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till April 14 for mention ..................................................... Secondary school student, 2 others, arraigned over violent assault. Three youths, including a secondary school student, on Tuesday in Lagos appeared before a Surulere Magistrates Court for allegedly stabbing two men and a minor with broken bottles. The accused -- Nurudeen Olabanji, 20; Temitope Yusuf, 22; and Abiodun Mufutau, 23 -- are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy and assault. They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of N20, 000 with two sureties each in like sum. But the Prosecutor, Cpl. Samuel Ishola, insisted that the accused committed the offence on March 6 at 9 p.m. at Memudun junction, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos. Ishola, who gave the identity of the second and third accused as a tailor and a tricycle rider, alleged that they conspired with the first accused to attack Lateef Waheeb, Ismaila Adepoju and the minor on their way home. He said the offence contravened Sections 356 and 516 of the Criminal Code, laws of Lagos State. The Magistrate, A. Tobi adjourned the case till April 1 for mention. ................................................. Welder, mechanic accused of breach of peace The police in Lagos arraigned a welder and a mechanic over alleged attempt to cause panic in a community with the intent to steal. The accused, Semiu Ibrahim, 21, and Nuru Eyitayo, 20, were charged before a Surulere Magistrates Court with conspiracy, attempt to invade a community and breach of peace. They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Olaide, told the court that the accused committed the alleged offences on March 13 at the Alhaji Davis St., Orile-Iganmu, Lagos. Olaide said the duo and some others, still at large, had earlier robbed some unnamed residents of the street. He said the alleged offences contravened Sections 249 (d), 508 and 516 of the Criminal Code of Lagos State. Magistrate A. O. Sholadoye granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case till April 1 for further hearing. //////////////////////////// Banker in court for allegedly stealing N554,200 A former employee of the Intercontinental Bank Plc was on Monday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates Court in Lagos over alleged forgery and theft of N554,200. Twenty-six-year-old Ajayi Oluwasegun is accused of forging the signature of a bank customer and withdrawing the sum from his account Oluwasegun, who is standing trial before Magistrate A. A. Famobiwo, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge. The prosecutor, Sgt. Haruna Ibrahim, submitted that the accused forged the signature of one Mr Kelvin Nwaosisi and withdrew N554,200 from his account He said the alleged theft and forgery occurred between August 2010 and February 2011 at the Agege Branch of the Intercontinental Bank. Ibrahim said the alleged offences contravened Sections 390 (9) and 467 (2) of the Criminal Code of Lagos State. The court granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety, and adjourned the case till April 7 for further hearing.