Security Update
RAIL TRACK VANDALISM: POLICE ARREST SYNDICATE IN BENUE
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested a criminal syndicate responsible for recent economic sabotage and vandalism of rail tracks in the North-West and North-Central parts of the country. The arrest of the suspects follows deliberate efforts by the Force to contain and clampdown on perpetrators of recent incidents of rail tracks vandalism, carting away of critical locomotive equipment and other related economic crimes in some parts of the country. The arrested vandals are among a total of thirty-six (36) notorious criminal suspects arrested by the Police recently for offences of banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, possession of illegal firearms, cultism, murder, economic sabotage, cybercrime, car snatching, etc.
The arrests were achieved as a result of sustained nationwide tactical, anti-crime operations by the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS) in the ongoing efforts aimed at stemming criminal activities particularly violent crimes in the country. Exhibits recovered in the operations include: 8 AK49 rifles, 3 AK47 rifles, 1 locally made rifle, 346 rounds of AK47 live ammunition, 24 live cartridges, 20 AK47 magazine, cash sum of One million, four hundred thousand (N1,400,000), vehicles – 2 Toyota Corolla (Abuja – RBC 653 AE and ABC 906 AG), 1 Toyota Camry, one 307 Peugeot (Abuja – BWR 920 HK), one 406 Peugeot and one Honda civic.
The suspects involved in the rail track vandalism, Idris Lawal ‘m’ 42years, Abdullahi Musa ‘m’ 29years and Usman Umar ‘m’ 22years were arrested following a coordinated intelligence-driven special operation on 27th May, 2021, which uncovered a warehouse in Gboko LGA of Benue State. A cordon and search operation conducted by the Police operatives on the building revealed different vandalized rail equipment, stolen rail installation racks, weld-shear, rail puller, other rail accessories and consumables. Further investigations by the Police team led to the interception of three (3) heavy-load trucks along Ikom-Ibom junction in Cross Rivers State. The trucks were fully loaded with vandalized rail items transported from the warehouse. Investigation is ongoing to identity the destination, the targeted criminal receivers, end-users and other suspects complicit in the crime.
Similarly, a 6-man notorious armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate linked to several violent crimes in Ondo and Ekiti axis of the South-Western part of the country has been arrested. The arrest follows the trailing and arrest of one 60-year-old Umar Mohammed who has been on the wanted list of the Police for transporting firearms and ammunition on behalf of notorious criminals who have carried out major operations in the South-West States. Further investigations by the Police team led to the arrest of five (5) of his gang members – Umar Abubakar, 22yrs, Muhammed Bello, 52yrs, Sale Lawali, 25yrs, Usman Muhammed, 20yrs and Musa Ibrahim, 53yrs, all male – that utilize the weapons he provided to carry out series of kidnapping and armed robbery operations in the country.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc has expressed confidence that no stone would be left unturned until all public spaces are reclaimed from criminal elements and a comfortable level of public safety and security achieved in all parts of the country. He enjoined citizens to continue to support the Police and the security community as they carry out the tasks of returning our country to the path of peace and security.
All the suspects will be charged to court on completion of investigations.
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the statement by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Lai Mohammed, that the Federal Government is not duty bound to protect Nigerians from bandits, has confirmed apprehensions that the All Progressives Congress and the Buhari Presidency have surrendered our nation to terrorists.
The PDP stressed that the statement by the minister is another clear evidence that President Muhammadu Buhari is indeed absent, has completely abdicated the responsibilities of his office and capitulated to bandits.
Lai Mohammed’s statement further reveals that the Buhari Presidency has not been committed to combating banditry but had, all along, been feeding Nigerians with lies, propaganda and falsehood, while bandits are pillaging our nation.
It is incredulous that the Buhari Presidency, in its failures, is abdicating a responsibility exclusively vested on it by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to operate all apparatus of national security; the police, military, paramilitary and all other armed services; to secure lives and property in all parts of our country.
Perhaps, President Buhari and his minister of information need to be tutored that the Second Schedule (Exclusive Legislative List) clearly vested the control of all apparatus of national security on the Federal Government and not the states.
Items 2, 28, 38, 45, 57 of the Exclusive List are clear in vesting the operation of the police, the military and other armed services; the control of arms and ammunitions as well as criminal records among other statutory paraphernalia of national security on the Federal Government and not the state.
The APC and the Buhari Presidency needs to be tutored that bandits and kidnappers are terrorists and that in line with the provisions of our constitution, the agencies vested with the statutory responsibility of protecting Nigerians from such outlaws are under the control of the Federal Government.
It is unthinkable that President Buhari, who promised to lead from the front, is now running away from duty while seeking to heap the burden of his office on the states, who do not have control of security agencies.
Moreover, the fact that a cabinet minister in the shade of Lai Mohammed is left to address this critical aspect of our national security that is vested on the President, shows that our nation is plagued by Presidential absenteeism and a dysfunctional command structure.
Such situation never occurred under the PDP administration.
Now that President Buhari and the APC-led Federal Government can no longer guarantee the safety of lives and property, the only way out is for the National Assembly to immediately amend the constitution and establish state police to guarantee the security of Nigerians as already recommended by the PDP.
The PDP calls on President Buhari to come out of hiding and address the nation, in his own voice, on the worsening insecurity in our country, occasioned by his misrule.
The Osun State Government and security agencies met on Monday to strategize on the reported infiltration of the State by herdsmen, bandits and kidnappers.
As a way of tackling the insecurity and socio-economic challenges occasioned by the migration of some herders from other neighbouring states, formed the reasons for Monday’s meeting between the Osun State government and the security agencies were security issue caused by artisanal miners, thuggery and Cultism, Communal clashes, Armed Robbery, Proliferation of Arms and Ammunitions, increased cases of accident, labour union crisis and school protection.
The Security Council meeting took place at Government House, Oke-Fia, Osogbo, chaired by Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
Others present at the meeting are: the Deputy Governor, Benedit Olugboyega Alabi, the Secretary to the state Government, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, some executive cabinet members, Special Advisers and all Service Commanders attached to the State of Osun which includes: Police, Army, Air Force, DSS, Immigration, Correctional Service, NDLEA and NSCDC.
According to a press statement made available by the Osun State Police Command’s Spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola, Security issues affecting the state were discussed and solutions towards addressing them were fathomed out in the Security Council meeting.
Consequent upon this, the Police as the lead agency in internal security and all other heads of security agencies have mapped out security mechanisms to checkmate the criminal activities in the state.
It was disclosed in the statement that Oyetola promised to assist in providing a better working environment to enable the officers put in their maximum effort.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Olawale Olokode therefore, urged citizens of the state to support, collaborate and cooperate with the state government, the Police and other security agencies at making the state secured.
Earlier, the Police command had reported that, those abducted by kidnappers had been rescued, adding that security operatives were on the trail of the kidnappers.
The new Commissioner of Police for Oyo State Command, CP. Ngozi Vivian Onadeko, psc, mnim, fdc, has assumed duty following the redeployment of CP. Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, psc. 2. The CP is an alumnus of the prestigious Imo State University, Imo State where she bagged BSc. (Hons) degree in Sociology in 1985.
She later proceeded to University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State where she also bagged Master degree (MSc.) in Criminology. 3. CP Ngozi Onadeko was appointed into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (POLAC/ Cadet ASP Course 15) on 15/03/1988 and was trained at the Nigeria Police Academy Annex, Kaduna State between 1988- 1989. 4. On passing out, she has served in various administrative and operational capacities such as: Crime and Staff Officer SOI, SOJ between 1989- 1993 in Imo State Police Command. From 1993- 2001, she served as a directing staff at Police College Ikeja, Lagos State.
She equally served as Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), Area Crime Officer (ACO), Staff Officer and Chief Superintendent of Police (Admin) all in Lagos State Command. She was later redeployed to Police Academy Kano in 2008 as a directing Staff. Between 2009- 2016, as an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), she was AC Intelligence, (FIIB), FHQ Annex, AC X-Squad FCIID Alagbon, Area Commander, Eastern Port Authority Police Command, Port Harcourt. She was 2I/C Command/Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of ‘Administration’ Delta State Command, between 2016- 2019 from where she proceeded on course to the National Defence College on 1st September, 2019. Sequel to her promotion to the enviable rank of Commissioner of Police on 21st December, 2019, she was posted to the Department of Training and Development, Force Headquarters, Abuja as CP Training. 5.
The Commissioner of Police has attended various on-the-job courses during her career, which includes; Advanced Detective Course (ADC) 1999, Operational Leadership Command Course (OLCC) 2005, Tactical Leadership Command Course (TLCC) 2009, Strategic Leadership Command Course (SLCC) 2015, all at the reputed Police Staff College Jos, Plateau State and National Defence College (NDC) Abuja, 6. The CP has Professional Qualifications to her credit amongst which are; Pass Staff College, psc, Member Nigerian Institute of Management, (mnin) and Fellow of the Defence College, (fdc).
She is equally a member of professional institutions, which include; International Association of Women Police (IAWP) and International Association of Chief of Police (IACP), United States of America (USA). CP. Ngozi Onadeko is married with children. 7. She is a thorough-bred professional who distinguished herself in all the places she has served. Consequently, all the experiences she has gathered over the years shall be brought to Oyo State to consolidate the existing security apparatus. 8. The CP assures the good people of Oyo State maximum protection to lives and property, while she solicits constant dissemination of credible information to enable the Police serve them better.
