CRIME STORIES BY ADEBOLA

CRIME STORIES BY ADEBOLA

                     Ekiti govt. opens sexual offenders register

Ekiti State Government says it has opened a black book, called the Sexual Offenders Register, to compile a list of convicted sexual offenders in the state.

A statement on Monday said the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda, said this during a visit of the Gender-based Violence Prohibition Law management committee.

The team was led by the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, in her capacity as the chairperson of the committee; and Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi.

The commissioner said the sexual offenders register would ensure that perpetrators were ostracised from the society.

Fapohunda said, “This step will serve as a deterrent to men who find pleasure in assaulting women and young girls.”

He told the visitors that the ministry was proposing a bill on rights of persons with disability, especially women and children, adding that works on the Equal Opportunities Bill had reached an advanced stage.

Fayemi urged the commissioner to assign GBV-related cases to lawyers adequately trained for the purpose and who are sensitive to gender issues.

She also called for the retention of such lawyers for a reasonable period of time as prosecuting GBV counsel before they are transferred to other departments of the ministry.

Governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, had on November 25, 2011, signed into law the gender-based violence bill, which was initiated and promoted by his wife.

As part of efforts to strengthen the new Law, the delegation had paid similar advocacy visits to the Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Prof. Oladipo Aina; state command’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sotonye Wakama; and Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola.

                                  Two Docked for forging BRT Tickets

Two men were arraigned on Monday at the Ikeja Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for stealing and forging fake Lagbus tickets.
Ajayi Olamilekan, 24, and Akinwunmi Akintunde, 29, were charged with three counts of stealing, forgery and conspiracy.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Samson Ekikere, said they stole the tickets on June 20, 2013 at about 5.30 am at Lagbus office, Alausa.
Ekikere presented two witnesses, which included the investigating police officer, Kingsley Okundaye.
The charges read in part, “That you Akinwunmi Akintunde and Ajayi Olamilekan and one other person at large on the said date and time with intent to defraud did forge Lagbus tickets and thereby committed an offence punishable under under Section 363 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.”
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. The presiding magistrate, Mrs. Oshodi Makanju, granted them bail of N100, 000 each with two sureties in the like sum. She adjourned the case till August 6, 2013.
                             54 fleeing prison inmates re-arrested in ondo

Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Police said on Monday that its officers had re-arrested 54 inmates of the Olokuta Medium Security Prisons in Akure, who were part of the 175 inmates that escaped when some gunmen attacked the place on Sunday.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr. Wole Ogodo, who stated this in a statement on Monday, also denied a newspaper’s report (not in The PUNCH), that 10 travellers were killed during the attack by the hoodlums.

Ogodo described the newspaper’s report as a misrepresentation of the incident as no death was recorded during or after the attack.

He said, “The publication is a complete misrepresentation of the facts of the incident as no such death was recorded during the jail break.

“The attack on the prisons was carried out by some armed robbers mainly aimed at liberating some members of their gang who were in prison custody.

“No death was recorded either on the side of the security agents, inmate or any travellers.”

The police spokesman said 54 of the fleeing prisoners had been  arrested and had been returned to custody.

Meanwhile, security had been beefed up in Akure and neighbouring towns of Ondo, Idanre and Owo by riot policemen, soldiers and regular policemen, who were combing the towns for the fleeing prisoners.

Our correspondent observed that there was an unusual traffic congestion on Ondo Road when soldiers from the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, also known as Owena Barracks, frisked motorists and passengers.

The riot and regular policemen were also seen conducting a stop-and-search in Akure and Ondo towns on Monday while operatives of the States Security Services were sighted at some black spots, drinking joints and hotels, on surveillance.

The Comptroller of Prisons in the state Mr. Tunde Olayiwola could not be reached for comments when our correspondent called at his office as he was said to be holding a crucial meeting.

However, sources at the prisons indicated that most of the inmates that escaped were hardened criminals.

A source said, “There is a strong indication that those who escaped were notorious armed robbers, who had committed grave offences against the state which could lead to their death.

Meanwhile, Minister of Interior, Abbah Moro, on Monday, condemned the attack.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Geoge Udoh,in Abuja on Monday, the minister described the attack as unreasonable.

According to him, the jail-break was perpetrated by the people he described as enemy of progress.

Meanwhile, the new Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Chief Mike  Okiro, has promised to bring his wealth of experience within and outside Nigeria to bear in enhancing professionalism in the Nigeria Police Force and in tackling the nation’s security challenges.

                   Police killed my son, prophet cries out

When in June 2013, Olayinka Kolawole gained admission to Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, to read Mass Communication, his family and friends rejoiced with him.

This was because Kolawole  had been trying for three years to further his education after finishing from Sam Glory Secondary School, Ejigbo, Lagos.

However, the family was thrown into mourning a few days later after the 20-year-old was allegedly killed by policemen attached to Ejigbo Division.

The father of the deceased, Prophet Omisande Kolawole, told PUNCH Metro that the incident occurred on June 15, 2013.

Narrating what transpired on the fateful day, Omisande said his son had gone to attend a friend’s birthday party but was killed on his way home.

He said, “My son went out to attend his friend’s birthday party not too far from our home. He said he would not stay long and we told him not to stay out too long. The following day, which was a Sunday, we did not see or hear from him and we began to panic.

“Later we heard that police embarked on a raid the previous night. We even thought he had been arrested. His mother, Grace Kolawole, and her nephew, Segun Adio, went to the Ejigbo Police Division but they were told that there were no suspects in their cell.

“However, residents told us that they had seen my son’s corpse being conveyed by policemen. After about three hours later, the policemen opened up and told us that my son had been killed. My wife immediately fainted.”

Omisande said even after his wife had been revived, the police refused to take her statement as well as the statement of Adio, her nephew.

He said Adio and other residents set out to investigate what actually happened and it was discovered that his son was killed by a stray bullet which emanated from the gun of a policeman popularly known as Oba.

He said, “We were told that around 8pm on the fateful day, Titan Hotel, located at Asaolu Close, was holding an event tagged Ladies’ night. At the hotel, one policeman popularly known as Oba was having a drink and dancing with a lady.

“We learnt that Oba left the hotel premises to receive a telephone call but on returning to the hotel, Oba got into a fight with a youth over the lady he was dancing with. The altercation degenerated into fisticuffs and Oba ran out of the premises and called his colleagues for back-up.

“When his colleagues arrived at the scene, a shoot-out ensued. During the shooting, my son, who was on his way home from another party was hit in the head by a stray bullet and died instantly.”

Omisande said since his son’s killing, life had not been the same. He said his wife was hospitalised and was only recently discharged.

The deceased’s mother, Grace, who spoke to PUNCH Metro while fighting back tears, said everything was still like a dream.

“Olayinka was the first of my three children. My other children are still young and it feels as if all my labour has been in vain. I want justice for his death,” she said.

Omisande described his son as a responsible boy and wondered why the police would attempt to cover up his murder.

“The policemen at Ejigbo prevented us from seeing the Divisional Police Officer. We are being treated with comtempt because we are not rich. All we want is justice for our son’s murder.”

When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed Olayinka’s murder.

She said the matter would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for further investigation.

She said, “The DPO told me that around 2am on the said date, they received a distress call that cult members were fighting. On getting to the scene, the cult members fled but policemen discovered the young man’s corpse.

“The father of the deceased told the DPO that one policeman identified as Oba was responsible for his son’s death. However, we have not been able to get the actual identity of the policeman. We are transferring the case to the SCID for further investigation.

“We are however calling on eyewitnesses to come forward and we promise that their identities will be protected.”

                                 Atuche and wife has case to answer

When in June 2013, Olayinka Kolawole gained admission to Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, to read Mass Communication, his family and friends rejoiced with him.

This was because Kolawole  had been trying for three years to further his education after finishing from Sam Glory Secondary School, Ejigbo, Lagos.

However, the family was thrown into mourning a few days later after the 20-year-old was allegedly killed by policemen attached to Ejigbo Division.

The father of the deceased, Prophet Omisande Kolawole, told NEWSLINAGE that the incident occurred on June 15, 2013.

Narrating what transpired on the fateful day, Omisande said his son had gone to attend a friend’s birthday party but was killed on his way home.

He said, “My son went out to attend his friend’s birthday party not too far from our home. He said he would not stay long and we told him not to stay out too long. The following day, which was a Sunday, we did not see or hear from him and we began to panic.

“Later we heard that police embarked on a raid the previous night. We even thought he had been arrested. His mother, Grace Kolawole, and her nephew, Segun Adio, went to the Ejigbo Police Division but they were told that there were no suspects in their cell.

“However, residents told us that they had seen my son’s corpse being conveyed by policemen. After about three hours later, the policemen opened up and told us that my son had been killed. My wife immediately fainted.”

Omisande said even after his wife had been revived, the police refused to take her statement as well as the statement of Adio, her nephew.

He said Adio and other residents set out to investigate what actually happened and it was discovered that his son was killed by a stray bullet which emanated from the gun of a policeman popularly known as Oba.

He said, “We were told that around 8pm on the fateful day, Titan Hotel, located at Asaolu Close, was holding an event tagged Ladies’ night. At the hotel, one policeman popularly known as Oba was having a drink and dancing with a lady.

“We learnt that Oba left the hotel premises to receive a telephone call but on returning to the hotel, Oba got into a fight with a youth over the lady he was dancing with. The altercation degenerated into fisticuffs and Oba ran out of the premises and called his colleagues for back-up.

“When his colleagues arrived at the scene, a shoot-out ensued. During the shooting, my son, who was on his way home from another party was hit in the head by a stray bullet and died instantly.”

Omisande said since his son’s killing, life had not been the same. He said his wife was hospitalised and was only recently discharged.

The deceased’s mother, Grace, who spoke to PUNCH Metro while fighting back tears, said everything was still like a dream.

“Olayinka was the first of my three children. My other children are still young and it feels as if all my labour has been in vain. I want justice for his death,” she said.

Omisande described his son as a responsible boy and wondered why the police would attempt to cover up his murder.

“The policemen at Ejigbo prevented us from seeing the Divisional Police Officer. We are being treated with comtempt because we are not rich. All we want is justice for our son’s murder.”

When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed Olayinka’s murder.

She said the matter would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for further investigation.

She said, “The DPO told me that around 2am on the said date, they received a distress call that cult members were fighting. On getting to the scene, the cult members fled but policemen discovered the young man’s corpse.

“The father of the deceased told the DPO that one policeman identified as Oba was responsible for his son’s death. However, we have not been able to get the actual identity of the policeman. We are transferring the case to the SCID for further investigation.

“We are however calling on eyewitnesses to come forward and we promise that their identities will be protected.”

                                                 News from other states

                                         Unilag student die in auto crash

Tragedy struck on Sunday evening as some students of the University of Lagos, Akoka,  were involved in a fatal motor accident, which left no fewer than three dead.

 The students, who were said to be returning from the birthday of a friend’s mother, crashed their car near Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

 The students, who reportedly died included a 400-level student of Mass Communication Department, Eniola Abiodun, and a 200-level student of Quantity Surveying, Adelowotan Oluwafunmilayo, viewed as a first class material because she was on grade point 4.71.

 Another student, identified simply as Kanyinsola, also died, while Temi and Iyabo, who were said to be in critical conditions, had been taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

 Efforts to reach the University of Lagos authorities to comment on the incident, however was abortive as calls to the telephones of the registrar and that of the Public Relations Officer did not go through.

 However, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Olubunmi Ajibade, said she had heard of Abiodun’s death in an interview with our correspondent.

 She said, “It’s very sad. I heard about her demise this afternoon myself.”

 The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, also confirmed the accident.

 She however said only four students were in the vehicle.

 She said, “It was a lone fatal accident which occurred along the Airport Road. We don’t know exactly what caused the accident, but I can confirm to you that only the car crashed.

 “There were four occupants and only one died on the spot. The remaining three were rushed to LUTH.”

                         Akiolu condemns £3,000 British visa bond

The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, on Monday condemned the proposed £3,000 British visa deposit imposed on Nigerian travellers.

Akiolu said this at the opening of a five-day workshop on corporate fraud organised by the police Special Fraud Unit in collaboration with the City of London Police in Lagos, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

“It is unacceptable to us as a nation; we will not take it. It is a big insult to us for British to demand £3,000 before we can go to London. We are not criminals,’’ he said.

The monarch stressed the need for the government to release the reports of some major probes into corruption, including the Halliburton scam.

Declaring the workshop open, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said lack of strict enforcement of the law against corruption was responsible for its growing in Nigeria.

Ekweremadu noted that only the poor were found in the Nigeria’s prison, while the rich bailed themselves to enjoy their loots.

He described corruption as a threat to humanity, stressing that the major effect of it was the introduction of wrong values, where some people believed in overnight wealth.

“Wrong values are what corruption breeds. It encourages overnight millionaire, suggesting that hard work doesn’t pay. Some people are encouraging corruption in the society by giving chieftaincy titles and honour in churches to corrupt persons,’’ he noted.

The senator said for corruption to be checked, there should be creation of job opportunities, good business environment for big and small businesses to thrive, provision of electricity and ICT device for crime detection.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who was represented by DIG Peter Gana, described corporate fraud as a difficult crime to prevent.

The commissioner in charge of SFU, Tunde Ogunsakin, said the workshop was an annual event by the unit with the theme, ‘Corporate Fraud: Insider Abuse in Financial Institution and the Implication on Developing Economy’.

Ogunsaskin said the workshop was a follow-up to the last edition in 2012, expressing the hope that it would create a format for crime prevention and control in banks and other financial institutions.

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Peter Cater, said the £3,000 visa issue was a pilot scheme by his country, stressing that Nigeria might not be part of the country affected by the policy.

“If Nigeria is involved, it will be just few individuals we regard as highest risk that would pay the money. There is no final decision yet on the matter,” he said.

Anambra gov donatesN733m to mission schools

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State on Monday gave out N733m to Catholic and Anglican churches to run their schools in the state.

He said the money was for the rehabilitation of primary schools taken over by the state government in 1970 but returned to the missions in 2011.

The governor, who made the donation in Awka, said he was impressed with the churches collaboration in rebuilding education in the state.

Obi, who apologised to the churches on behalf of government for taking over schools from them, said what the state was doing was to restore quality education to the children.

He said efforts to reposition the school system were not just restricted to rebuilding of structures, adding that by the end of the year, the state government would provide more buses, computers, generators and Internet facilities to schools in the state.

 Noting that the state’s investment in education had started manifesting, the governor said, “Last year Anambra came first in NECO. This year Anambra was the best in Unity Schools with consequent jerking up of their cut off marks.”

Archbishop Christian Efobi represented the Anglican Church, while Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor of Awka Diocese, represented the Catholic Church.

          Canada partners osun in tourism Education

Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Marcello Di Franco, has stated the readiness of the country to partner with Osun State in the areas of education and tourism.

Di Franco, who spoke at the Governor’s Office, Osogbo, commended Governor Rauf Aregbesola for providing quality education and investment in tourism.

A statement by the Bureau of Communication and Strategy, on Monday, quoted Di Franco as saying that Canada was ready to partner with Osun in order to engender development.

Commending the tourism potentials of Osun, Di Franco said, “When I came into your state, I had the opportunity to visit some special places, including the Osun groove and I can see that what you have in the state are so precious.

“They are things that the international community will want to learn about. We will be interested in coming to this state as tourists to get to know the culture and more about your state.”

The deputy high commissioner noted that Osun stood to gain immensely in education and tourism partnership with Canada, noting that education has improved in the state under Aregbesola.

He added that seminars would be organised to improve the standard of education in Osun, stressing that quality education remained a gateway to socio-economic development.

Describing Osun as the safest state in Nigeria, Aregbesola enjoined local and foreign investors to explore investment opportunities available in the state.

He said collaboration can work optimally in a safe and secure environment.

The governor said, “I am proud to tell you that this is the safest part of Nigeria, you can count on the safety and the security that we guarantee to encourage your citizens to visit us and see our natural endowment, this is a rain forest region.

“It is not for fun that UNESCO recognizes Osun groove as a world heritage site. That is not all we have here, the state is unique for the variety of customary and traditional sites of note. Osun is the heartland of the Yoruba.”