COMMISSIONER OF POLICE LAGOS STATE, YAKUB ALKALI

Time To Tame Trigger-Happy Policemen.

At every available opportunity, the Nigeria Police remind us of the supposed cordiality that exists between the citizens and themselves. Their popular cliché, ‘the police is your friend’, creates a facade of friendship that in actuality exists only in the minds of the force itself.

The police as an agency of state is wholesomely catered to with taxpayers’ money. Yet the quality of policing the country has been abysmally poor, compared to the huge resources spent in maintaining it. True, there are glaring problems militating against effective discharge of police duties across the country. This does not, however, mean that the force should not at least provide the required atmosphere that can enhance community policing which has become the norm globally.

It is disheartening that rather than carry out the simple responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, the police are rather turning the weapons bought for them on innocent citizens. This has been a recurring decimal, as cases of extra-judicial killings are becoming rampant.

Daily, the press is awash with stories of the shooting of innocent citizens by the police. In recent times, it has escalated to a frightening ratio, which gives the nation the semblance of a haven of bestiality and barbarism. Now, the thick of the action seems to be Bayelsa State. On 16 October, a policeman from hell shot dead a 25-year old, Emmanuel Victor for critising them for taking bribe at a check point as he was passing by.

Recently too, the anti-crime outfit set up by Governor Timipre Sylva, Operation Famu-Tamgbe, has been in the centre of controversy. Rather than dissipate its energy fighting criminals, it instead vented its apparently contrived anger on the harmless people of that state. In September 2010, the security agents were reported to have bitten Karina Frank-Oputu, plant manager of Gilly Halena hotel to death. Not done, the police are alleged to have taken Freddie Ockiya from his home in the presence of his parents and he was later found in a morgue in the state capital.

It is good that the Federal Government disbanded the terror-gang that passed for a security team in Bayelsa. Many more are still out there wreaking havoc, killing and maiming hapless Nigerians. Such officers and their civilian collaborators, if any, should be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law. This should be done in accordance with the best justice system as it obtains elsewhere.

Until this is done, the spate of bullying and killing will continue, while the families of the deceased bear the losses alone.

IGP

Police assault on The Nation newspaper .

THE invasion by the Police, of The Nation newspaper offices and the arrest of four editors and three other staff members in Lagos and Abuja was ill-advised.

The police operation was barbaric and embarrassing in a democratic dispensation.
Certainly, the police could have handled the situation more decently if indeed there was any infraction of the law.

The police claimed they were investigating an alleged criminality following the publication of an allegedly forged letter.

Regrettably, the action portrays the crude tactics reminiscent of military regimes of the past.

There is no basis in law for recourse to the rule of might such as that displayed by the police.

The Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim tried to justify the action by saying the law enforcers acted upon a petition by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The speed with which the police acted was, however unusual, raising curiosity on whether the authorities would have similarly responded had the petitioner been a less influential citizen.

Ringim’s excuse has only raised posers about his operational style as the topmost law enforcement officer.

We do not question the duty of the Police to investigate crime or to prevent its commission. But this should be done within the limits of the rule of law.

Against a newspaper that is ordinarily performing its constitutionally recognised duties, the police ought to exercise caution and reasonable decency in pursuing any inquiry, notwithstanding the source of the allegation.

The need for such caution becomes even more expedient in the absence of any previous act of criminality on the part of the newspaper or its personnel.

It is also on record that many of the arrested workers of the newspaper actually went voluntarily to the police station in performance of their civic duties to help the police in their investigation.

Clamping them subsequently into detention was an act that does not encourage the public to assist the police.

In any event, couldn’t the police interrogate the editors and others summarily without subjecting them to incarceration overnight, or treating them like criminals? How then can the police absolve itself of suspicion of having intent to disrupt the newspaper’s operation or even prevent its publication the following day?

The police displayed ignorance of the operations of a media house – or pretended not to know – by shuffling even innocent non-editorial staff members into detention over a purely editorial judgment of the executives.

President Goodluck Jonathan reportedly intervened at a point to direct the release of the last detained senior journalist, the Managing Editor, which was just as well.

But must it take the president’s intervention to bring the police to order? Government too should have been more tolerant of media criticism or reports, considering that free information and expression of opinions are integral to the practice of democracy.

It is also curious that former President Obasanjo decided to petition the Presidency after he had publicly denied knowledge or authorship of any letter to the President on any public issue.

Ordinarily his petition or apparent pressure on the authorities was needless, as he could have sued the newspaper for defamation, if he felt aggrieved by its publication.

That is a much more acceptable way of pursuing grievances in a democratic setting. And as a former president, Obasanjo should have shown a credible example.

The police indiscretion has no doubt gone into the records of media monitoring groups around the world.

The tragedy was instantly manifested at the Congress of World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and the World Editors Forum holding at the time in Austria.

Yet it is the same police that would, at a much later date, deny breach of fundamental human rights when the documentation is presented for public consumption.

Government agencies, including the police, have a duty to better manage the country’s image, and by extension that of the government.

They need to accommodate opposing views and display tolerance. They should be more civil in approach.

To perpetrate state terror in an atmosphere of freedom of information is antithetical to the new order.

The editors’ travail was a major blow to freedom of the press enshrined in the constitution. It is an affront to democracy and a breach of the individuals’ fundamental human rights.

The watch-dog role of the press, as the fourth estate of the realm and custodian of the people’s freedom, ought to be guarded closely, and not allowed to be thwarted by some overzealous agents of the state.

The groundswell of criticism that trailed the police action is a clear message – that the people are opposed to any brazen infringement of their rights, or arm-twisting by state officials.
The police and other law enforcement agencies should learn a deep lesson from that message.

Mohammed Dikko-Umar

Nigerian Air Force may be grounded – CAS

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko-Umar, warned that the Nigerian Air Force might be grounded if urgent measures were not taken to improve its current poor financial condition.

Dikko-Umar raised the alarm in Abuja when he met with the House of Representatives Committee on Air Force.

He told the committee that the Air Force could not buy new aircraft and refurbish existing equipment, owing to poor funding.

The committee, which is headed by Mr. Kenneth Archibong, met with the CAS to look into the budget performance of the Air Force ahead of the 2012 budget.

But it was lamentation at the session, as Dikko-Umar sought help to rescue the Air Force.

He said the practice of handing envelops to parastatals without considering their peculiar financial needs was affecting the execution of plans in technical agencies like the Air Force.

Dikkor-Umar said, "The challenge of funds is the main challenge before the Nigerian Air Force. As you are aware, the Air Force is highly technical.

"It’s near impossible for the Air Force to purchase equipment with the current budget, particularly when ministries are given envelops. The Nigeria Air Force cannot buy planes as you will see when we deliver our 2012 budget."

Some members of the committee, however, observed that the submissions of the CAS were skeletal and lacked the details the committee expected from him.

A member, Mrs. Rafiquat Onabamiro-Arinola, said, "The Chief of the Air Staff has not really told this committee anything at all.

"I expected more from him, like issues of challenges in his various formations, including that of personnel and his roadmap for the Air Force.

"We need information before we can act. We need to understand where you are and where you stand before we can help. I expected a proper paper presentation on staff deficiencies and other aspects."

But, Dikko-Umar insisted that funding was the main issue and appealed to the committee not to consider funds expended on the Air Force over the years a waste.

NDLEA Boss Ahmad Giade And Baba Suwe

Court orders NDLEA to produce `Baba Suwe' on Nov. 1.

An Ikeja High Court in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to produce Nollywood star, Babatunde Omidina, aka `Baba Suwe,’ physically in court on Nov. 1.

The presiding Judge, Justice Yetunde Idowu gave the order while ruling on an ex parte motion filed by the actor’s lawyer, Bamidele Aturu.
Idowu gave the order after hearing the submissions and arguments of Aturu and the NDLEA lawyer, Femi Oloruntoba.

The judge said: ``Having listened to the submission and argument of the applicant’s counsel and those of the respondent, the respondent (NDLEA) is accordingly ordered to produce the applicant, Babatunde Omidina, physically in court on Nov. 1 at 9:0 a.m”.

The application, dated Oct. 26, 2011 had prayed the court for an order directing the NDLEA to produce Omidina in court at the next adjourned date.

Aturu had also asked the court to order the NDLEA to show cause why the actor should not be released unconditionally from detention.

He claimed that Baba Suwe’s detention by the anti-drug agency since Oct. 12 without trial was a violation of his constitutional right to liberty.

According to him, the action contravened Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

The application, which was supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Baba Suwe’s first son, Adesola Omidina, claimed that the actor was diabetic.

It further claimed that he had not been granted access to his doctor since the arrest and that he had defecated eight times under close observation, without excreting any banned substance.

Oloruntoba had advised the court to provide adequate security to contain the crowd that may besiege the court premises during the next adjournment if the request is granted.

In the substantive suit, number: ID/745/M, filed before the same court, the actor is asking for N100 million as compensation for damages suffered by him as a result of the arrest and detention.

Baba Suwe was arrested on Oct. 12 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja on the suspicion that he ingested substances suspected to be illicit drugs.

Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court in Lagos had on Oct. 21 granted the NDLEA the permission to keep him in their custody for further investigation till Nov. 4.

Farida Waziri, Chairman EFCC

EFCC Alerts Public, Charges 2 Over Impersonation.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has alerted the public over rising cases of syndicates working in parts of the country, using the name of the Commission and some of its officials to extort money from highly-placed individuals.

The Commission at a news briefing by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi said the activities of the criminally minded syndicates are reinforced by the recent high-profile cases being handled by the Commission.

He however assured the public that the EFCC chairman, Farida Waziri had already set up teams “to trail, burst and arrest members of these syndicates”.

According to him, three of such syndicates have been burst and some of their members arrested by the Commission.

He disclosed that one of the leaders of such syndicates already in the net of the EFCC has been posturing as Mohd Alameen Alhaleel, Alameen Yar’Adua, Mohd Alameen Garba and Mohd Alameen Suleiman, with claims of alleged relationship with former President Yar’Adua and Vice President Namadi Sambo.

The suspect, the Commission explained, had succeeded in obtaining the sum of N50million from one of the accused persons in the Pension scam case the EFCC is prosecuting in court, before he was nabbed recently in Kaduna.

Another suspect also paraded, Fidelis Terseer Iorongo was said to have been parading himself as an EFCC official with a fake identity card through which he has been extorting money from job seekers with the promise of getting them employment in EFCC.

In a related development, the EFCC on Tuesday arraigned two alleged impersonators: Afolabi Williams and Ekundayo Rotimi Sunday on a two count charge bordering on fraud and impersonation before Justice J. Y Tukur of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The Commission had sought leave of the court on September 9, 2011, to file criminal charges against the accused persons.

When the accused were arraigned today, Justice Tukur granted leave to the EFCC to read the two count charge to which, the accused persons pleaded not guilty.

Thereafter, the prosecution counsel, Ayokunle Fayanju asked for an adjournment to enable him commence the trial of the accused persons.

He also urged the court to remand the accused persons in Kuje prison as the EFCC could not accommodate them in its cell.

The defence counsel, B. O Nafagha, pleaded with the court to remand the accused persons in EFCC custody, claiming that Kuje prison will not be too good for their heath and that they are presumed innocent until after the trial.

After listening to both counsels, the presiding judge adjourned the case till November 10, 2011 for hearing and ordered that they be remanded in Kuje prison.

ARMY

Army warns Nigerians on fake recruitment
The Nigerian Army has called on Nigerians to desist from patronizing persons and groups of Nigerians promising they could help them get into the British Army from Nigerian.
The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army said the group was fraudulent and could not facilitate their recruitment into the British Army.
The spokesman for the division, Lieutenant Colonel Kayode Ogunsanya said the division had in its custody, a 28-year-old man from Akwa Ibom state who was the arrow head in the British Army recruitment drive and that the man had no connection with the British Armed Forces.
Colonel Ogunsanya while parading the man in Lagos , said the division became interested in the man when a poster emerged at the Mile 2 and Ojo Cantonment area of Lagos, claiming that he could help unsuspecting Nigerians get recruited into the British Army.
“Our investigation reveals that the suspect, Mr. Nse Akpan is the person behind this fraudulent act.
This is the second time Mr Akpan would be arrested for similar offence. The first was on August 9, 2011 and he was handed over to the Police.
“He was later taken to court and the court granted him bail and adjourned the case to December 2011.”
Ogunsanya said the division contacted the British High Commission in Lagos and it was revealed that no agent is authorized to recruit persons for the British Army.
Colonel Ogunsanya said during interrogation, the reason adduced by the suspect that made him get involved in the crime was that he was jobless.
While being paraded before journalists, Nse Akpan admitted to the crime but added that he was only assisting persons to get some information from the internet.
He said his office is located on 23 road in Festac Town and that money collected from people was what he called, “administrative charges.”

POLICE CHIEF

CP urges students to shun violence.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Police, Yakubu Alkali has cautioned secondary schools students to avoid breaking their parents’ rules and shun violence because of its long term consequences.
Alkali said this at the “Save A Life Project”organised by the State Senior High School, Ikeja’s, Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability and Professionalism Africa chapter.
The commissioner who was represented by the Chief Superintendent of Police, Administration,CSP Adaku Uche-Anya said lawlessness begins from the homes.
He said,if students were not cautious to learn obedience and to be law-abiding at home, they most likely grow up becoming notorious criminals and lawbreakers in larger society.
He also urged Commercial Motorcyclists who were at the programme to be law-abiding and follow road rules to ensure safety of their lives and those of their passengers.
The State Traffic Officer, Margaret Ekpo who was in the Commissioner’s entourage also urged the students to always go close to traffic officers whenever they want to cross at a busy road in order to get assistance.
Ekpo also called on the state government to erect a pedestrian bridge at the PWD axis of the Agege Motor road to relieve the traffic officers and road users the stress they pass through trying to cross or be helped to cross.
She lamented that most Lagos road users are not patient with road traffic officers and resort to attacking many of them at this spot when asked to stop for students to pass.
She stated further that, the number of offices around the place was increasing, thus increasing the number of road users on that axis and the time it takes to cross many people in batches.
She however commended the student’s initiative in organising a programme that would enlighten road users on rules that ensures safety on the roads.
Principal of the school, Oluwafemi Bakare said that the “Save A Life Project 2” programme was the outcome of the first successful project during which students painted the PWD Zebra Crossing and cleaned the Mopol 20 barracks in Ikeja in 2010.
He said the second phase of the project was targeted at sensitizing Commercial Motorcyclists on road safety measures and the use of First Aid and Sick Bays in schools and other institutions.
According to Bakare, the LEAP Africa project has transformed the moral lives of their students while expanding their initiatives in a 3-year curriculum on leadership ethics, Accountability and Civic responsibility.
He thanked the Commissioner, Lagos State Police Command for sponsoring the programme which he said received responses from LASTMA and LASUTH.
Also speaking at the event on the need for blood donation, a LASUTH lecturer, Mrs Alege Taiwo said that owing to many diseases which deplete people’s blood reserves, healthy citizens should donate blood to help their fellow’s live.
She said much blood or less blood in the body would cause the body to become sickly, adding that people should donate blood to live healthy lives.
Taiwo noted that the benefits of blood donation include production of healthy fresh blood and sound health for the blood donor while enjoining people to donate blood to save lives.
Commercial Motorcyclists spokesmen, Innocent Odinaka decried the attitude of Police and LASTMA officials who they say extort their members in the name of road rules enforcement.
They pleaded with the Police Commissioner to ensure they are treated like human beings, adding that most of the people that disobey the traffic rule are uniformed men who engaged in commercial motorcycle transportation.
At the end of the programme, over 300 students were given certificates for participation in the project.

NDLEA BOSS

NDLEA’s N6.1billion drug haul at Lagos airport
THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seized drugs worth N6.1billion from 291 suspected drug traffickers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos between January 2010 and September this year.
The drugs weighed a total of 612.68 kilogrammes - the weight of seven men of at least 85kg each.
These facts were obtained by our correspondent from the NDLEA against the backdrop of recent cases of drug trafficking at the airport.
The agency is surprised that traffickers are becoming more daring by smuggling drugs to countries with capital punishment for such a crime.
The United States, Britain, Germany, France, and South Africa top the list of nations assisting the agency to crack drug cartels in the country.
Airport Commander of the Agency, Hamza Umar said “In 2010, the command intercepted 200 drug suspects including 172 male and 28 female with 399.431kg of drugs consisting of 237.5kg of cocaine, 44.907kg of heroin, 42.050kg of cannabis, 74.755kg of methamphetamine/amphetamine and 0.240 grammes of other psychotropic substances”.
“Similarly, between January and September 2011 a total of 91 drug suspects comprising 81 male and 10 female were apprehended for trafficking 213.249kg of narcotics consisting 79.696kg of cocaine, 21.705kg of heroin, 57.705kg of cannabis, 44.723kg methamphetamine/amphetamine and 9.400kg of other psychotropic substances.
“The pattern of drug seizures here at the airport since inception is that little quantity of drugs is smuggled at a time unlike at the seaports where our entire annual seizure can be made in one fell swoop.
The 14,200kg of cocaine made at the Tin Can Port in 2006, the 450.400kg of cocaine also intercepted at the Lagos sea port and others is a pointer to the fact that while we do our best here at the airport, our colleagues at the seaports will also continue with the good work aimed at dismantling drug barons.”
The report added: “The little quantities of narcotics smuggled by suspects at the airport could empower drug cartels because eventually when added together they become substantial.
“Some of the success strategies of the command include good working relations with international partners like the United States, Britain, Germany, France, South Africa and many others. The security agencies, airline operators, and airport staff have also contributed to the successful operations of the Agency.
The Airport Commander gave further details regarding how drug traffickers were arrested.
He said most of the suspects ingested the hard drugs to beat NDLEA: “Some traffickers hide the drugs in their luggage using various ways. The drug could be hidden in the metal handles of the bag, in false bottom or side compartments industrially. Other items used include clothes, garden sheers, hand trowels, car shock absolvers, bronze castings, bags and food stuffs to mention a few. Still we are able to uncover the drugs”.
“Female traffickers have used their hair and even insert drugs in their private parts all in a bid to smuggle drugs. The age of the suspects also cuts across the young, middle age and the aged. The tricks of drug barons appear endless as the Agency recently discovered clothes soaked in cocaine from a woman that arrived from Brazil.
“The Agency is also worried about the level of desperation of some drug traffickers. “We find it worrisome that young traffickers smuggle drugs to Malaysia and other countries where drug trafficking attracts capital punishment.
“Many have been prevented from such suicide missions and we keep apprehending more people on these routes. Unfortunately, we have also recorded deaths from drug ingestion. When there is a leakage in the wraps of ingested drugs, the courier can barely last the next one hour. This is the reality of the obnoxious trade in narcotics.”
He listed the challenges of the Airport Command to include shortage of operational vehicles, inadequate funding and absence of other tools that will further make the job of drug interdiction more effective.

BABA SUWE

Court grants NDLEA power to detain Baba Suwe for 15 more days.

Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court, Lagos has acceded to a request by the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency to further detain actor, Babatunde Omodina, (a.k.a Baba Suwe) for 15 more days.
Justice Okeke’s permission was contained in a ruling he read yesterday after entertaining arguments on an ex-parte application from NDLEA’s lawyer, Theresa Asuquo.
The application was supported by a 29-paragraph affidavit deposed to by an NDLEA intelligence officer, Femi Johnson Osifuye, and a CT scan result issued by a consultant radiologist with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Subhash Vijayvargiya.
Osifuye averred that the result confirmed that actor has large amount of narcotic drugs in his body.
The NDLEA had arrested the actor on October 12 while attempting to board an Air France plane to Paris on suspicion that the scanning machine at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport indicated that he had ingested substances suspected to be hard drugs.
Osifuye further averred that following Baba Suwe’s arrest, the man was placed on observation pending when he would defecate the ingested substances, but that while on observation, the actor refused to eat claiming that he eats only once in three days.
He added that as a result of Baba Suwe’s refusal to eat, he had not excreted the ingested substances.
Osifuye stated that after the comedian made the second excretion and no substance was found, the NDLEA had to take him to LASUTH for another CT scan for a second opinion on whether he indeed ingested the narcotic drugs, and the test confirmed a large amount of drugs in his body.
He further stated that with the confirmation that the actor still has hard drugs in his stomach, he is bound to excrete it with time.
He contended that the detained actor’s case was not an isolated one as it takes some suspects a longer time to excrete than others, hence the need to further keep him in custody.
Osifuye asserted that it would take the detained actor about five to seven days to complete excreting the whole drugs in his stomach.
He added that the suspect must be in custody for the agency to retrieve the ingested drugs.
Osifuye stressed that it would be in the interest of the suspect to excrete the ingested substances so as to prevent them from bursting in his abdomen, a situation the agency argued might lead to his death.

BABA SUWE

Why court extended Baba Suwe’s detention order, by NDLEA.

The National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency, has said the extra 15 days granted by a Federal High Court in Lagos for it to keep ace actor and popular comedian, Babatunde Omidina aka, Baba Suwe, in its custody is a clear confirmation that the scanning machine used in screening the actor at the airport was not defective.
This is coming against the backdrop of insinuations that the machine used in scanning Baba Suwe at the airport was defective and that accounted for the inability of the agency to pin him down with crime of drug trafficking.
Spokesman of the agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said people should stop insinuating that the agency machine is defective.
He said the screening machine used at the airport for the screening is very much in good condition, and pointed out that 90 per cent of people who go through the screening with a positive result ended up excreting drugs.

LAGOS POLICE IMAGE MAKER, SAMUEL JINADU

Police to deploy 31, 000 for election.

No fewer than 31,000 policemen and officers and men from other security agencies will be on ground today for the Lagos State Local Government election.
Security personnel will also be drawn from the military, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Commission and Lagos State Traffic Management Agency.
The personnel are to ensure that there is adequate security and that electoral materials are well protected during the exercise.
Spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Samuel Jinadu, a Deputy Superintendent, who said adequate security would be provided at all polling stations and the office of the state electoral commission.
He warned all those who do not have anything to do with the election not to go anywhere near the polling station during the exercise as they risk being arrested.
Jinadu noted that the Commissioner of Police, Yakubu Alkali, had directed that anti-riot policemen be deploye in the state electoral office to ensure that materials get to their destinations on time and that they are not hijacked.
The PPRO urged Lagosians to obey the movement restriction order and ensure that they cast their votes within their local government areas.
He said that the only people who would be allowed to move about within the period of restriction are journalists, medical personnel, all those who are on essential duties and electoral officers deployed for the exercise.

IGP

The police on the police.

If Nigerians expect the police to renew their vigour in combating crime anytime soon, they will have to wait for much longer.
Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Parry Osayande, a former policeman himself who rose to the rank of Deputy Inspector- General before retiring, said the demons afflicting the police are so many that he did not seem confident they can be put in subjection quickly.
Some of those demons, he said, were made by the police themselves, while the rest were the handiwork of an unreflective Federal Government.
Osayande offered his candid perspectives during the visit two days ago of Senator Paulinus Nwogu-led Senate Committee on Police Affairs to the Commission’s office in Abuja.
It must be puzzling that the commission chairman said many harsh things about the police leadership, including their administrative inertia, indefensible and inexplicable corruption, and woeful deployment methods.
For instance, out of 321,250 policemen, claimed Osayande, about 100,000 catered to private individuals, leaving the vast majority of Nigerians policed by constables.
He also scathingly dismissed the Federal Government’s disruptive creation of competing agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC, NSCDC and FRSC, all of which he said had bled the police of attention and funding.
It is difficult to fault Osayande’s appreciation of the problems confronting the Nigeria Police. He not only has a reputation for candour, he also left the Police Force with an even solider reputation, which is probably why he is still relevant today.
But while it is in the powers of the police establishment to correct many of their own ills, and they have strangely been remiss in doing it, it is harder to understand why they should complain about the other quasi-police organisations excised from them and designed to fill the gap left by police dereliction of duty over the years.
Indeed, the main dilemma that will confront friends of the police is whether to support the scrapping of the quasi-police organisations in order to prepare them for incorporation into the police; or to first get the police reinvented as a responsible, patriotic and effective law enforcement organisation.
It would be easier for the police to help resolve that dilemma. For if they lost some powers in the past few decades or so to other agencies, there is nothing that says a few more cannot be taken from them and given to their better neighbours.

BABA SUWE

Airport Drama Day 7: NDLEA Awaits Baba Suwe’s Last ‘Shit’.
The real life drama starring Nollywood comic actor, Baba Suwe, entered day seven today with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, saying the comedian will remain in detention for some time and actors warning he must not die in NDLEA cell.
The NDLEA Head of Public Affairs, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said early today that the comedian is still under observation.
Being “under observation” is a security code which means the comedian will remain in detention for some time until he makes more excretions and the wastes tested for the drugs that have so far failed to come after three previous excretions.
Asked if Baba Suwe had made another excretion, Ofoyeju said “I am not aware of any”.
The NDLEA spokesperson said that the media will be briefed at the end of the investigation and no more on daily basis, insinuating that the case will now be handled in a discreet manner.
The ace comedian whose real name is Babatunde Omidina was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, as he was about boarding an Air France flight to Paris, France, where he was billed to attend a naming ceremony.
He was detained after some strange particles were detected in his stomach by the United States-donated scanner known as Soter RS. He has denied the allegations and promised to sue the agency.
The Director General of NDLEA, Femi Ajayi, said in a television interview on Monday that according to standard practice, a drug suspect must test negative at least three times to convince anti-narcotics agents he is innocent after particles are detected by the scanning machine.
The Lagos airport Commander of the NDLEA, Hamza Umar, said last week after the arrest that there was enough ground for suspecting the comedian, adding that in previous arrests, some suspects had excreted the drug at the fourth excretion.
For seven days now, since the popular comedian was arrested and detained by NDLEA operatives Nigerians have been waiting to know the outcome of the drug saga.
The arrest of Baba Suwe is generating a lot of interest in the Nigerian media and social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Thousands of people had shared stories on Baba Suwe on their facebook pages, millions have been discussing it and many more are holding their breath to know, between Baba Suwe and the NDLEA who will be vindicated.
Some are already calling the drug saga, a tragicomedy of gargantuan errors.
Meanwhile, Baba Suwe’s colleague, Adewale Elesho, has warned that there would be problems in the country if the comedian dies in NDLEA cell.

LAGOS POLICE BOSS

No Successful Robbery In Lagos Since I Took Over’.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Yakubu Alkali, has disclosed that there has never been a successful robbery operation in the state since he took over the as police boss in January this year
Alkali said although there have been series of attempts by robbers to break into bank vaults in the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, none of the attempted bank robberies has succeeded as his men were on ground to frustrate the robbers’ actions.
According to him, last week, dare-devil armed robbers attempted to rob Zenith Bank, Trinity Branch in Apapa. However, their devilish mission was effectively frustrated by a combined team of anti-robbery police officers drawn from the federal and state anti-robbery squads, who stormed the bank and engaged the robbers in a shoot-out.
At the end of the encounter, the devils in human skins were forced by the superior firepower of the police to flee the bank premises.
On the alleged looting of the Police Microfinance Bank in Ikeja by suspected robbers, the Lagos police boss denied the incident, saying that police officers are paid through e-payment method.
However, three principal staffers of the bank have been arrested in connection with the incident, which he said was an embarrassment to the state police command, even as independent checks revealed that some police officers were paid their September just last Tuesday at the microfinance bank.

•Ambassador Chijioke (left): A Mike Tyson? The battered wife (right).

Jonathan Sends Wife-Beating Ambassador Back To Kenya.
The embattled Nigerian Ambassador to Kenya and the Seychelles, Chijioke Wilcox Wigwe, who was recalled by President Goodluck Jonathan in May after reports emerged that he almost beat his wife to death, has gone back to his post.
The reports said the ambassador has been sent back to Nairobi, the Kenyan capital by President Jonathan who acted against the wishes of his advisers and Kenyan authorities.
The advisers argued that allowing the ambassador to go back to work will set a negative precedent about wife beating.
The ambassador’s wife, Tess Iyi Wigwe, petitioned the Kenyan police in May urging them to promptly arrest the diplomat before he beats her to death.
In a letter she sent to Mr. Mathew Iteere, the Commissioner of Police, the distraught wife accused her husband of battering her and causing her serious bodily harm which has sent her to hospital many times, often between life and death.
The ambassador denied all the allegations. He was recalled to Nigeria after the incident.

POLICE EXTORTION AT OSHODI

It is still business as usual (for police collecting bribes and extorting motorists) along Oshodi Road, Lagos.

As I was coming to my office this afternoon, the (thieves) wearing Police uniform were busy extorting N100 from danfo drivers.

Some of them had extorted in the early hours of the day calling it morning duty.

Now the afternoon duty guys have come out turning Ile-Epo Bus-stop to Mecca of milking danfo drivers’ money.

By 6.30pm, the evening duty guys will come out making it N300 a driver will give Police if he is to ply on that route for the day.

Similarly, they are extorting along Mafoluku road.

What has Nigerian Police Force turn to,Tax collector or Revenue collector.

IGP

Time To Fight Rape.

The levity with which we handle rape cases is becoming a great cause for concern as such crimes are now on the rise.

Daily, we read and hear of how women and little girls are defiled by shameless men who, most of the time, escape with just a slap on the wrist.
It is either the victim does not wish to testify due to stigmatization or the police bungle the case and the magistrate is forced to throw out the case.

Even in cases where the suspects are found guilty, the lenient jail term or in some cases the option of fine or settlement out of court have thrown these criminal elements back into the society to commit the crimes again.

Rape cases have become so rampant in university campuses that one shudders at sending one’s daughter to school.

It is either cultists or other depraved members of the men folk that take advantage of these helpless female.

It is however not limited to that. Traditional rulers and other seemingly responsible members of the society have been accused of this crime.

Youth Corps members, female students in secondary schools and even pre-teen girls have fallen victims.

In other climes rape or even mere accusation of rape has ended promising careers of up and coming young people but it seems like we handle everything this side of the Sahara, rape is no different from petty crimes in which the accused gets away with a slap on the wrist.

The rate at which this crime is being committed these days is a cause for concern.

Parents have become apprehensive of allowing their female children stay in hostels, lest they get raped.

Non-government organisations have done their best yet the crime seems to have come to stay.

There is a need to have another look at the law and possibly put a new legislation in place to combat this growing menace.

The defilement of minors and teenage girls should not be looked upon as mere happenstance.

It has become a menace and we have to do something before it becomes a monster that cannot be caged.

The police and the courts are not doing enough, so sad to say, and our lawmakers are perhaps too busy to take another look at the statute books to see what to do to discourage this barbaric act.

The National Assembly needs to move now. It has waited too long to promulgate, if need be, new laws to stem cases of rape.

Do we need to wait until some high level government official is raped before taking action? Do we wait for the daughter of a highly placed Nigerian, to get raped before we understand the seriousness of this situation? Why do we always delay in attacking our problems when it seems too late?

It is time to hand out stiffer punishments to convicted rapists. There should no sentiments, nobody should be above the law.

The United States of America the strongest nation in the world, once handed out severe punishment to one of its own over a rape charge.

The former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson would not forget in a hurry what he went through after the rape accusation.

Why can’t we make rape a despicable offence like it is in other parts of the world?

If we look at the crime as minor because it does not touch us, we are doing this nation no good because sooner or later, and this is no curse, it will.

And those it may touch may affect our sanity. We really need to do something. Rhetoric and sentiments would do nobody any good.

Rape is a serious crime that would, one day or another, touch us or someone close to us. The time to act is now.

NURTW boss in Lagos State, Rafiu Akanni Olohunwa

Nurtw Boss, Olohunwa Refutes Bribery Allegation.

The National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW boss in Lagos State, Rafiu Akanni Olohunwa, has refuted allegation that he bribed a co-aspirant to stand down for him in the NURTW state’s chairmanship election.

Olohunwa, through his Personal Assistant, Babatunde, said the allegation was a figment of the imagination of his accusers.

“The story is part of an extended campaign of calumny and character assassination by its masterminds against me.

Having failed in their earlier plots to tarnish my image they resorted to cheap blackmails and outright falsehood in order to confuse our members and the public.”

That screening of five chairmanship aspirants was conducted in Abuja last week and superintended by the National President of the union, Nojeem Yasin.

The aspirants, Sope Bodude, Musiliu Akinsanya, Akanni Olohunwa, Tajudeen Agbede and Olawale Ogundile appeared before the screening panel.

But before the exercise commenced, three of the aspirants were said to have withdrawn from the race, tipping Olohunwa as a consensus candidate.

“I am a committed member that will continue to abide by the union’s guidelines and discipline.
At no time did I meet with anyone to stand down for me. This is democracy and free participation by everyone is one of its hallmarks. So why will I do that?” he remarked.

Picture of the Policeman killed by armed robbers

Robbers Strike Rivers.

Robbers struck in front of Diamond Bank Mile One branch on Ikwerre Road in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, today, killing a Police Corporal on escort duty and the driver of a Toyota Hilux van from the Rivers State Songhai Farms..

The gang of four armed men also escaped with a huge sum of money, which the victims withdrew from the Diamond Bank, near the Divisional Police Headquarters, Mile One, Diobu, just beside the popular Mile One Market and the Secretariat of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The operation which lasted less than 20 minutes, caused pandemonium in the nearby Mile One Market as it was completely deserted. Traders scampered for safety in the confusion.

The four robbers walked freely on Ikwerre Road and were so relaxed and confident as they shot sporadically into the air, shouting “Where are the Policemen…where are they”.

Vehicles around the scene were not spared as people ran away.

Men of the Rivers Police Command later recovered N1.5 million from the victims’ Hilux van, which the robbers left behind in a hurry.

George Onah,a journalist and the Bureau Chief of Vanguard newspaper in Port Harcourt, escaped death by the whiskers as he hid himself inside the car while the sporadic shooting was going on. The rear glass of his KIA Rio car, with registration: Lagos: BQ 532 AGL, was not spared as it was shattered by the robbers’ bullets.

An official of Diamond Bank, who pleaded not to be named, told our reporter that the customers had concluded their transaction and left the bank, before the armed robbers struck, just in front of the bank.

According to Onah:“I left my office beside the bank at 2:57 pm, with the intention of driving my KIA car to the correspondents’ chapel office at 49, Ikwerre Road, to use the cyber café.

I entered the car and was about reversing to Ikwerre road, to move forward and make U-turn to the chapel, when I started hearing gun shots.“

I completely folded myself and bent by the pedals and the passenger’s seat, for the armed robbers not to see me, but I was conscious of what was happening and using the rear view mirror to monitor what was going on.

“The armed robbers, who came with an unmarked Toyota Camry salon car, thought I wanted to block them from operating, making them to shoot from the rear glass, probably with the intention of killing me, in order not to hinder their operation.

They started with my car.“The covered Hilux, with foreign registration number (758 ONG RB), was about leaving the bank, when the armed robbers first shot at the driver, who died on the spot.
They then pumped bullets into the head of the policeman, who sat with the driver in front, shattering his skull and collected his AK-47 rifle.“

The armed robbers then moved to the back of the Hilux vehicle and pulled out bags of money.

They escaped with the killed policeman’s rifle and the bags of money, in the Toyota Camry car they came with.“When I came out of my car, people around could not believe what they saw.

They thought I was a ghost, presuming that I had been killed by the robbers’ bullets. I give God the glory.

”Shortly after the armed robbers had escaped, policemen, accompanied by senior officers, came in many Toyota patrol vans and also deployed an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), with large number of people gathering to confirm what happened.

The corpses of the policeman and that of the driver were later deposited by policemen at the morgue of an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt.

BABA SUWE

NDLEA Insists: Baba Suwe Must Excrete 4th Time, Nollywood Stars To Protest His Detention.

Forty-eight hours after his second excretion which, like the first one, tested negative to drug ingestion, Nollywood comic actor, Baba Suwe, last night made a third excretion which also tested negative to drug peddling, but he will have to make more excretions to convince the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, he is innocent, the agency said.

The NDLEA Head of Public Affairs, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said today that Baba Suwe whose real name is Babatunde Omidina remains under observation even after his third excretion.

He said: “I can confirm that Baba Suwe is still under observation. He excreted for the third time last night and no drug was found. But he remains under observation.

The Director General of NDLEA, Femi Ajayi, said according to standard practice, a drug suspect must test negative at least three times to convince anti-narcotics agents he is innocent after particles are detected by the 2008 United States-donated scanning machine, known as Soter RS.

Lagos airport Commander of the NDLEA, Hamza Umar, has said there is enough ground for suspicion, adding that in previous arrests, some suspects had excreted the drug at the fourth excretion.

The alleged drug trafficking scandal, involving Baba Suwe, now resembles the longest tennis cracker played at the Wimbledon 2010 between Nicolas Mahut and John Isner.

The encounter lasted three days. Tennis fans around the globe held their breath on 22, 23, and 24 June 2010 until Isner defeated Mahut after 11 hours five minutes and 183 games.

For over six days now, since the popular comedian was arrested by NDLEA operatives at about 10 p.m. on Wednesday,12 October, on suspicions that he had concealed hard drugs in his stomach detected by the NDLEA scanning machine, Nigerians have been waiting to know the outcome of the drug saga.

The popular comedian was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, while on his way to Paris, France, where he was to attend a naming ceremony of the child of an Air France staff. The Air France staff was arrested and released shortly after.

The scanning machine, known as Soter RS, was donated by the United States government in June 2008. It is said to be one of the most sophisticated x-ray body scanning machines available for drug detection.

Already, the continued detention of the comedian six days after he was arrested and after three excretions that have all tested negative to drug ingestion has fuelled sentiments among Baba Suwe’s admirers and supporters.

Nollywood stars are said to be mobilising, using new technologies, for a protest at the NDLEA office.

The movie stars led by the former president of the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners, Prince Jide Kosoko, have planned to go on nation-wide protest if Baba Suwe is not released on time.

According to a text message which emanated from Kosoko and titled ‘Baba Suwe’, he called on other stars to mobilise for a massive rally on behalf of the comedian.

“Baba Suwe is in NDLEA custody without anything implicating found on him. Now it’s time to talk. They owe us explanation as we have to act now. Be prepared for a massive rally. Expect further information on this soon. Pass this to others,” Kosoko said in the text message.

ANTP members have been passing the text message to one another as they await further directive from the former ANTP president and other top members of the association.

It was learnt that the ANTP members through the text have been mobilising other members from Lagos and other parts of Nigeria in preparation for what is being described as mother of all rallies.

The arrest of Baba Suwe is generating a lot of interest in the media and social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Thousands of people had shared P.M.NEWS stories on their facebook pages, hundreds of thousands have been discussing it and many are holding their breath to know who between Baba Suwe and the NDLEA will be vindicated.

Many are already calling the drug saga, a comedy of gargantuan errors; others say Nigerians must expect either an ‘expensive shit’ or a ‘shameful shit’. For now, it is Baba Suwe 3 – NDLEA 0. Will the fourth excretion lead to anything? Only time will tell.

EFCC Arraigns Ex-Gov Goje

EFCC Arraigns Ex-Gov Goje, Four Others Over N52b Fraud.

A former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje has bowed to the superior arguments of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as he hurriedly withdrew an application to quash an 18 count charge preferred against him by the Commission based on the ruling of a Federal High Court sitting in Gombe asking him to defer his bail application until the consideration of his no-case submission.

Counsel to the EFCC, Wahab Shittu, told the court that bail application for Goje and four others arraigned over the charges bordering on abuse of office; awarding contracts without budget provision and obtaining by false pretence and misappropriation to the tune of N52 billion, should not be heard since “ he has brought an application before the court seeking the quashing of the charges imputed to him”.

Counsel to Goje and his co-accused, Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, had approached the court with two applications: one for the quashing of the charges preferred against them and the other for bail.

However, he became thoroughly flustered by the argument of the EFCC counsel who insisted that consideration for bail should not be placed before the court simultaneously with a no-case submission.

The other four accused persons arraigned with Goje are; Sabo Mohammed Tum, former Gombe State Government House food supplier; Aliyu Ubadone El-Nafaty former Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, Gombe; S. M. DOKORO; proprietor of S. M. Dokoro and M. Dokoro Gombe.

Ex-governoor Goje being taken to court by EFCC officials.
The five accused persons were docked before Justice Babatunde Quadri for offences ranging from conspiracy to obtain by false pretence contrary to section 8 of the advance fee fraud and other related offences act, concealing the genuine ownership of two properties in London and conspiracy to award contract/awarding contract without budget provision; an offence which is punishable under section 22 (4) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

The five accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the charges when it was read to them.

Counsel to EFCC, Wahab Shittu then asked the court to fix a date for their trial.

However, counsel to the accused persons, Adeniyi Akintola, after withdrawing the first application for the quashing of charges preferred against Goje, told the court that he had filed an application for bail.

In his ruling, Justice Quadri adjourned the case till tomorrow, October 18th, 2011 for ruling on the bail application. He then ordered that the accused persons be remanded in the custody of the State Security Service, SSS.

Some of the charges against them read: Count 1.COUNT ONE That you, ALHAJI DANJUMA GOJE ‘M’, former Executive Governor of Gombe State, Nigeria; sometimes between May 2003 and May 2011, in Gombe within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with attempt to convert, conspired with others to conceal or disguise the sum of N5, 000,000,000.00 (Five Billion Naira only) property of Gombe State Government, which was, or in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, represented proceeds of an illegal act, contrary to Section 17 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under Section 14 of the same Act as amended, modified and retained under Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended).

COUNT TWO That you, DANJUMA GOJE ‘M’, former Executive Governor of Gombe State, Nigeria sometimes between May 2003 and May 2011, in Gombe, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, committed an offence to wit: converted the sum of N5, 000,000,000.00, (Five Billion Naira only) property of the Gombe State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14 of the same Act as amended, modified and retained under Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended).

COUNT THREE That you ALHAJI DANJUMA GOJE ‘M’, former Executive Governor of Gombe State, Nigeria; ALHAJI SABO MOHAMMED TUMU ‘M’ being Gombe State Government House food supplier; and others, between May 2003 and May 2011 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with attempt to convert, conspired among yourselves and others to conceal or disguise the sum of N1, 920,000,000.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred & Twenty Million Naira only) property of Gombe State Government, which was, or in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, represented proceeds of an illegal act, contrary to Section 17 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under Section 14 of the same Act as amended, modified and retained under Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19 respectively of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended).

COUNT FOUR That you DANJUMA GOJE ‘M’, former Executive Governor of Gombe State, Nigeria; ALHAJI SABO MOHAMMED TUMU ‘M’ being Gombe State Government House food supplier; between May 2003 and May 2011 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, committed an offence to wit: converted the sum of N1, 920,000,000.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred & Twenty Million Naira only) property of Gombe State Government, being an illegal act to wit: concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14 of the same Act as amended, modified and retained under Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19 respectively of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended).

Dimeji Bankole in court.

N894m Scam: Bankole Moves To Thwart Trial.

Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned till 19 December to rule on two applications brought by embattled former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, seeking to disqualify Festus Keyamo from prosecuting him on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as well as quashing the 16-count criminal charge preferred against him by EFCC.

EFCC had slammed a 16-count criminal charge on the former speaker which bothers on contract inflation to the tune of N894 million.

Parading a team of four senior advocates of Nigeria led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, the former speaker told the court to quash the criminal charge brought against him on the ground that the Proof of Evidence did not disclose any shred of criminality against him and that the counts in the charge sheet do not comply with Section 58(4)(a) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 under which he’s being charged.

He further argued that the prosecutor, Keyamo, is having a personal malice against him and as such, could not be an unbiased prosecutor, adding that the court should disqualify the prosecutor and order the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, to re-assign the case to another prosecutor.

Awomolo stated that the offence stated in Section 58 can only be committed by specified persons such as contractors, suppliers and procurement officers and that the former Speaker did not occupy any of the said offices, hence he could not be affected by the provisions of that Act.

He further argued that EFCC had failed to state the actual amount of the contract and the inflated sum, adding that the proof of evidence does not justify his client being subjected to criminal trial.

On the second application to disqualify Mr. Keyamo, Awomolo argued that the prosecutor must enjoy the confidence of people and seen to be just but because of Keyamo’s previous and current public condemnation of Bankole, he cannot be seen as an unbiased prosecutor and as such cannot generate public confidence in the whole public prosecution.

Responding to the applications, Festus Keyamo submitted that the office of the accused person comes under the contemplation of Sections 57 & 58 of Public Procurement Act, adding that the sections included “all public officers” among those that can be prosecuted under the Act.

He added that Section 7 of the Criminal Code treats those who directly commit an offence and those in position to prevent the commission of such offence alike.

Keyamo further stated that Bankole had aided and abetted the commission of the offence and hence he must be allowed to undergo trial, adding that the prosecution is not restricted to the proof of evidence especially before a Federal High Court.

On the issue of his disqualification, Keyamo argued that the accused is coming too late with such application, adding that if the defence had failed to stop him while preferring the charge and while arguing the bail application then they could not stop him from going ahead with the trial.

Keyamo added that the 1999 Constitution does not question in explicit language the partiality of the prosecutor, stating that the prosecutor must believe in his case and in the guilt of the accused.

He further submitted that by virtue of Section 167 of the Criminal Code, that he could not be disqualified, adding that the prosecutor must be partial by knowing where he stands.

He further submitted that the defence should have joined him as a defendant in the application brought to challenge his competence to try the accused and that having failed to do so, that they have breached his fundamental right to fair hearing.

Upon hearing the submissions of both parties, the court adjourned till 19 December for ruling.

IGP HAFIZ RINGIM

Adoke And Ringim Must Stop Chasing Shadows.
Last week the police in a gestapo manner invaded the offices of The Nation newspapers in Lagos and Abuja and arrested some of the newspaper’s editors.
The arrest was said to be at the behest of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke.
The arrest of the editors was in connection with the controversial letter former President Olusegun Obasanjo purportedly wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan requesting that he sacks some incompetent heads of some federal agencies who are mainly Northerners and replace them with Southerners. Though Obasanjo denied that he wrote such a letter and threatened to sue The Nation, the newspaper published the bromide copy of the letter on its front page the following day.
This irked Adoke because of the perceived embarrassment the letter caused the Federal Government and he ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim to get the editors arrested. The police moved in without a warrant of arrest and picked up the editors in a manner reminiscent of the military era where arbitrary arrest of journalists was the norm and violation of human rights was the stock in-trade of the dictators.
If Adoke or Ringim had any axe to grind with The Nation regarding the controversial letter, they should have gone to court rather than employing arbitrary and uncivilised method of seeking the truth of the matter.
The manner the police invaded The Nation was a threat to our democracy and has rightly been condemned by right-thinking Nigerians.
At a time Ringim should be seriously mapping out strategies to address the security challenges facing the nation, he is busy chasing shadows.
If the zeal with which he went after the editors has been applied in dealing with the Boko Haram menace and the unending kidnapping of Nigerians by hoodlums, the nation won’t be in the throes of the security threat we are now witnessing.
With Boko Haram bombs still killing people in Maiduguri and other northern states, Ringim ought to have relocated there to confront the situation or even resigned for failing to provide security for Nigerians.
Rather, he is cowardly chasing journalists under the guise that they are threatening national security.
It is gratifying that the House of Representatives has condemned the action of the police and is seeking to probe that shameful invasion.
The Senate should also probe the incident.
It is shocking that President Goodluck Jonathan allowed Adoke and Ringim to bring his administration into ridicule in the comity of nations. The president should call these men to order before further damage is done to our democracy.
The journalists being hounded fought alongside pro-democracy groups to actualise the democracy Adoke is enjoying.
Never again should this senseless invasion be allowed to happen in our country if not, we will slip into a dictatorship that could consume us all.

POLICE SPOKESMAN IN LAGOS, SAMUEL JINADU

Bus Driver Kills Boxing Coach,
A mobile policeman, MOPOL, in Lagos State, has allegedly stabbed a bus passenger to death following an argument over N50 bus fare.
The incident occurred at Iyana Ipaja in Alimosho area of Lagos at about 10am.
The serving killer MOPOL, who is yet to be identified, was said to be driving a commuter mini bus popularly known as danfo with registration number XY 866 GGE painted in Lagos colour.
The bus conveyed the victim, Ademayeloye Adegbola Abiodun, from Ile Epo bus stop to Iyana Ipaja.
The deceased who was a local boxing coach and a footballer was coming from the training field when the incident happened.
Olusegun Shodiya, a family friend of the deceased, said the bus fare from Ile-Epo Oke-Odo to Iyana- Ipaja is N30, and the deceased demanded for N20 balance after giving the driver N50.
On getting to Iyana-Ipaja, they engaged in an argument and the MOPOL turned driver brought out a jack knife from the bus and stabbed the victim.
The late Abiodun was 29 years old and he hailed from Oyo State. Until his death, he resided at 12, Ogunmoye Street, Egbeda in Lagos.
An eyewitnesses said that after the MOPOL cum driver had killed Abiodun, his colleagues stormed the scene with an armoured personnel carrier with registration number NPF 4912 C and started shooting indiscriminately.
The community leader, Baale Oki of Oki land, Chief Sunday Oki said, “I was inside my house when the incident happened. We are all human beings, must people be going about with knives when they are not robbers? I think it is unnecessary for mobile policemen to invade this area and start shooting indiscriminately.
“Many properties were damaged by stray bullets. Two persons were hit by bullets in my street and everywhere was full of empty cartridges.”
Chief Oki appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola to protect Iyana Ipaja residents from such invasion.
The corpse of the deceased has been deposited at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja mortuary for autopsy.
Reacting to the incident, the mother of the deceased, Mrs Mary Ishola-Ejidiran, said: “My son was an NCE graduate of Federal College of Education Oyo State. When he finished his NCE proramme, he was admitted at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos as Inspector Cadet.
“My son is never an NURTW member, or a tout. What I want from the government is to produce my son.”
Contacted, the Lagos State Police Command, Public Relations Officer, DSP Samuel Jinadu said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

Fake Mopol Arrested.

Detectives at Ebute Ero Police Division, Lagos Island, Lagos State, have arraigned a suspected fake police sergeant, Mohammed Abah, before Igbosere magistrate’s court on a two-count charge of impersonating a police officer.
The police alleged that the accused on 4 October, 2011 was caught when he presented a police identity card to the DPO in charge of Ebute Ero Police Division and pleaded for the release of his Suzuki motorcyle with registration number QX 266 BDG.
The comportment of the fake cop who resides at 12, Ijora Causeway Street, Iganmu, Lagos at the station reportedly made the DPO to suspect him.
When he was asked sensitive questions on where he was serving and the DPO of his station, he did not give any satisfactory response.
He was subsequently arrested and during interrogation, allegedly confessed that he was a fake policeman.
It was alleged that he was issued the police identity card and police uniform by a serving mobile policeman.
After investigation, he was charged to court for impersonation.
Count two of the charge reads: “That you Mohammed Abah on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district did steal police uniform and I.D card, property of Abdullahi Isiaka.”
The offence, according to the prosecutor, Supol Nicholas Anieke, is punishable under Section 484 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap C17, Vol. ii, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and presiding magistrate, Mrs. O. A. Layinka, admitted him to bail in the sum of N30,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the matter till 3 November, 2011 for mention.
The accused was, however, remanded at Ikoyi Prison when he could not perfect his bail conditions.

BABA SUWE

After First Excretion, Baba Suwe In The Clear, says NDLEA.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has said Ace Actor and comedian, Omidina Babatunde also known as Baba Suwe , has made the first excretion this evening but no drug has so far been found on him.

The actor who was to board an Air France flight to Paris at about 10pm on Wednesday 12 October 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos when he allegedly tested positive to drug ingestion and was placed under observation.

NDLEA Airport commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar who confirmed that Mr. Omidina Babatunde was in safe custody added that the process of placing suspected persons under observation was the agency’s usual practice.

According to Hamza, “there is reasonable ground for suspicion and the actor is currently under observation. He is fine and has gone for the first excretion but no drug had been found on him. We have in the past recovered drugs after the fourth excretion. It is just the normal process for all passengers”.

“the actor will still be under observation. The agency’s doctor had examined him and he is cooperating with narcotic investigators. Further up-date on the matter shall be made known to the general public,” NDLEA said.

Baba Suwe now in NDLEA custod

Erastus Akingbola

Akingbola gets Nov. 23 date at Appeal Court over frozen assets

The Court of Appeal in Lagos fixed Nov. 23, for the hearing of the appeal filed by the former Chief Executive Officer of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola, challenging the freezing of his assets.

Justice Tijani Abubakar of Federal High Court, Lagos, had on Dec. 31, 2009 frozen Akingbola's six bank accounts with the sum of N346 bn and 11 million pounds sterling.

The judge had also placed an interim forfeiture order on Akingbola‘s assets and choice properties in Lagos, the UK, Dubai and Accra, Ghana.

The six banks in which the accounts were frozen are Intercontinental Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and Intercontinental Bank (UK) Ltd.

The judge also granted the application of the EFCC to temporarily freeze Akingbola‘s assets all over the world.

He, however, ordered the EFCC to allow Akingbola access to N1.4 million per month as living expenses and retention of legal advisers being equivalent to his last take-home pay as the CEO of the bank.

Dissatisfied with the order of the lower court, Akingbola filed a notice of appeal at the appellate court seeking to overturn the decision.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, counsel to the EFCC, Mr Kola Awodein (SAN)), urged the court to grant him extension of time to file and serve his reply to the notice of appeal on the respondent.

Counsel to Akingbola, Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN), told the court that he had no objection for extension of time and accelerated hearing of the case.

Justice Helen Ogunwumiju granted their prayers and adjourned the matter till Nov. 23.

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Saad Ibrahim

Nigerian Navy Committed To Maritime Security – CNS.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Saad Ibrahim, has reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Navy to the nation’s maritime and oil infrastructure security.

He also expressed the readiness of the Navy to partner with other stakeholders in achieving a safer and crime- free maritime environment.

Represented by the Flag Officer, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogbor, when a delegation of the Maritime Reporters Congress of Nigeria, led by its president, George Umunnakwe, visited him in Lagos, Ibrahim said the commitment is irreversible, .

The CNS applauded MARCON’s interest in maritime security much of the nation’s economy is dependent on the maritime sector.

The chairman of the organising committee, Ismail Aniemu, said MARCON’s visit is to seek the Navy’s support for the group’s 2011 conference on “Preventing terrorism in Nigeria’s Maritime domain” slated for Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, later in the year. .

Aniemu told the CNS that the choice of the conference theme is a way of complementing government’s efforts to prevent attack through water and make our territorial waters safe as a way of protecting our nationa’s economy.

Aniemu said any move to adequately fund the Navy and provide modern platform in terms of Offshore Patrol Vessels, OPV’s and Offshore Patrol Crafts, OPC’s with the latest Automatic Identification System, AIS, will not only boost our national profile as the latest oil exporter in Africa but also the number one provider of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

Aniemu who stated that the conference will highlight the need for private sector support in preventive Maritime Security, called for purchase of more OPV’s for the Nigerian Navy.

GOVERNOR BABATUNDE FASHOLA

400 LASTMA Officers Sacked.

The Lagos State Government has sacked 400 officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, in the last one week over cases of corruption and other misconduct.

The state government also said it would abolish the use of consultants by the Lagos Internal Revenue Service, LIRS to collect taxes in the state as their activities have become inimical to the government.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation and Revenue, Bola Shodipo said this while presenting a paper at the 341st Council Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Ikeja Branch in Ikeja, Lagos.

While he was speaking on the collection of illegal levies by unscrupulous individuals in the state, he disclosed such act of corruption led to the sack of 400 LASTMA officials in the last one week as the government would not condone illegality.

The LASTMA officials were sacked over various acts of misconduct, such as extortion, dereliction of duty, disrespect to constituted authorities, fighting on the road and failing to comport themselves properly while discharging their duties.

The sack cuts across the senior and junior categories of the officials.

Governor Babatunde Fashola had been warning unscrupulous officials of LASTMA to stop misbehaving or be prepared for the way out.

However, Shodipo admitted that there were many illegal levies being collected in Lagos State, while he cited his personal experience at the Kuramo Beach where some touts claiming to be representatives of Iru/Victoria Island Local Council Development Areas, LCDA wanted to collect illegal parking fee from him.

He said he had to call the taskforce to arrest the culprits but that they ran away before the taskforce could get to the scene.

According to him, “these people we call touts cannot operate without some elements in the society,” adding that some politicians use them during the election to aid and abet their practices.

“To say we will totally eradicate them will be difficult but their impact on the society is what we are trying to reduce,” he added.

On the use of consultants by the LIRS, Shodipo disclosed that from January 2012, the state government would stop using consultants to collect taxes in the state, saying that he had already submitted a proposal to that effect.

According to him, consultants were doing more harm than good in the collection of taxes in the state, adding that maybe at inception they might have been very helpful.

He said the government had received lots of complaints through text messages, e-mails, among others on the illegal activities of these consultants.

NDLEA Boss Ahmad Giade

291 drug suspects arrested at MMA in 21 months

The NDLEA has arrested a total of 291 suspects with 612.68 kg of hard drugs valued at N6.1 billion at the Murtala Muhammed Intermational Airport, Lagos in the past 21 months.

Hamza Umar, the NDLEA Commander at the airport, told newsmen that 91 suspects, comprising 81 males and 10 females, were apprehended with 213.23 kg of narcotics between January and September this year.

``We obtained 79.70 kg of cocaine, 21.705 kg of heroin, 57.71 kg of cannabis, 44.72 kg of methamphetamine and 9.40 kg of psychotropic substances from the suspects in 2011,’’ he said.

He added that in 2010, 200 suspects, which included 172 males and 28 females, were arrested with 399.45 kg of drugs.

According to him, the drugs consisted of 237.5 kg of cocaine, 44.91 kg of heroin, 42.05 kg of cannabis, 74.75 kg of methamphetamine and 0.24 kg of psychotropic substances.

The commander said most of the suspects ingested the drugs, while some were hidden in their luggage, using various ways.

``Female traffickers have used their hair and even insert drugs in their private parts, all in a bid to smuggle drugs.

``The suspects were of different age grades. The tricks of the barons appear endless as we recently discovered clothes soaked in cocaine from a woman,’’ Umar said.

He promised that the agency would continued to maintain a high level of vigilance in detecting the drugs and arresting drug traffickers.

Umar, however, noted that the agency was faced with operational challenges, funding and other tools required to do the job.

He commended both foreign and local law enforcement agencies for supporting the agency.

BABA SUWE

Airport Drama 2: NDLEA Waits For Baba Suwe’s ‘Expensive Shit.

Like in the dying minutes of a tension soaked football match, Nigerians are holding their breath as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, waits for Nollywood comic Actor, Baba Suwe, to stool, 48 hours after he was arrested on suspicions that he concealed hard drugs in his stomach.

The NDLEA Head of Public Affairs, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the 53-year old popular comedian who is still in their custody was yet to defecate since he was arrested on Wednesday night at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

According to standard procedure, the Nollywood actor whose real name is Babatunde Ayinla Nurudeen Olasunkanmi Omidina must defecate and the waste analysed by the operatives. He will then be freed or charged to court for drug trafficking.

The NDLEA airport commander, Hamza Umar said there is reasonable ground for suspicion and the actor is currently under observation. He is fine and had been eating but has not excreted.”

He added that the suspect will remain under observation and the NDLEA doctor has been called upon to examine him. He said further update will be made as events unforld, Hamza said.

The suspect was detained by NDLEA officials after the United States-donated scanner at the Lagos airport detected substances suspected to be hard drugs in his stomach.

According to NDLEA sources, he was on his way to Paris, the French capital to act as a master of ceremony in a naming event of the child of an Air France staff scheduled for tomorrow.

He was on his way to board an Air France flight when he was suspected by anti-narcotics agents, taken to the scanning room and detained.

His passport was seized and the flight was allowed to go without him. The Air France staff (name withheld) was also arrested.

At the time of writing this report, Baba Suwe was still under observation at the NDLEA airport office in Lagos.

Sources said Baba Suwe has denied that he swallowed hard drugs and the truth will only be known after he defecates today or whenever.

Meanwhile, following the arrest of Baba Suwe by NDLEA, his colleagues have expressed shock over drug scandal.

They wondered why an actor of his stature could be involved in drug trafficking.

Prince Jide Kosoko was full of anger.

Sunday Omobolanle aka Papy Luwe who called to confirm the report said he was shocked.

Barrister Tunji Bamishigbin, an actor and a Lawyer, said if it is true that Baba Suwe is involved in drug peddling, then he does not deserve the position and respect the Nigerian society has accorded him.

Star Actress, Remi Oshodi aka Surutu expressed disappointment with Omidina’s shameful act.

A young actor Femi Brainard also condemned the shameful act of the star actor, saying “this shameful act must be stopped because Wunmi was the first victim, and because she was pardoned does not mean that Baba Suwe will go scot free.

The incident has generated a huge backlash against the comedian, with some saying it is a comedy of errors.