Tag: DPO

Police Investigate DPO Who Allegedly Owns Illegal Refinery In Rivers State

In this file photo, the crest of the Nigeria Police Force is seen on a police officer’s uniform. PHOTO: Sodiq Adelakun/Channels TV.

 

The Rivers State Police Command says it has set up a panel to investigate a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) who is alleged to own an illegal refinery in Rivers State.

In a statement on Sunday, the Police said the unnamed DPO has been “immediately redeployed and a panel headed by an assistant commissioner of police inaugurated to investigate the matter”

According to the statement signed by the Acting State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, the outcome of the investigation shall be made public and the officer will be punished appropriately if the allegations are confirmed.

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The statement further said the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Eboka Friday, restated the commitment of the command to support the Rivers State government in its war against illegal oil bunkering and assures the public that the command will not spare any indicted person no matter how highly placed he or she may be.

The CP also called on anyone with useful information on the activities of oil thieves and illegal refiners not to hesitate in passing it to the security agencies or the local government chairmen.

Governor Nyesom Wike had raised the alarm this week and demanded that the DPO, who was in charge of a division in a community called Rumuji in the Emohua Local Government Area, be redeployed.

Governor Wike also demanded the immediate redeployment of the head of the anti-vandal unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for providing cover to illegal refiners.

In responding to the allegation, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi has announced the disbandment of the Rivers State anti-vandal unit of the NSCDC.

The Commandant-General also ordered the suspension of the head of the team pending the outcome of an independent enquiry into the allegations.

A statement on Saturday by the Director of Public Relations, NSCDC, Olusola Odumosu, said Audi expressed shock and dismay over the allegations.

He decried the allegations as not being in tandem with his vision for the corps, stressing that he would not condone any criminal act or compromise by the personnel.

‘It’s Fake,’ Police Condemn Report DPO Was Arrested For Kidnapping In Edo

In this file photo, the crest of the Nigeria Police Force is seen on the beret of a police officer. PHOTO: Sodiq Adelakun/Channels TV

 

Police authorities have condemned the claim that a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was arrested by security operatives for his alleged involvement in kidnapping and other criminal activities along the Benin-Ehor Road in Edo State.

In a statement on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer in Edo, Kontongs Bello, described the claim as mischievous, malicious, and misleading.

He noted a trending report captioned “DPO EHOR DIVISIONAL POLICE ARRESTED BY THE SPECIAL ANTI-KIDNAP TEAM FROM THE OFFICE OF THE IGP OF POLICE, ABUJA IN CONNECTION WITH KIDNAPPING AND OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES ALONG BENIN-EHOR ROAD”.

Bello stated that there was no such unit called the Special Anti-Kidnap Team in the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Abuja.

“The report which is already going viral on various social media handles and platforms is totally the work of mischief-makers aimed at tarnishing the image of the force and to incite the general public against the police, particularly Edo State Police Command.

“The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Police Command, CP Philip Aliyu Ogbadu Psc (+), therefore, calls on the good people of Edo State and its residents to disregard the report and go about their lawful business,” the statement said.

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According to the command’s spokesman, it is obvious that criminal elements have already noticed that Ehor is no more profitable for them and have decided to come out with the fake report to divert the attention of the police and the people assisting them with information about criminal activities.

He explained that the DPO in charge of Ehor Division, CSP Benjamin Benafa, reported at the division on July 2 and took over duties and responsibilities of the division the next day.

Rather than getting involved in criminal activities as alleged, Bello disclosed that Benafa was instrumental in the rescue of nine passengers kidnapped in the state.

The victims, he noted, were travelling from Auchi to Benin in an 18-seater bus owned by a private company on July 4.

“The officer is presently at his duty post in Ehor, not arrested as been mischievously circulated,” the command’s spokesman stated.

He added that the police commissioner has ordered a full-scale investigation into the matter with the aim of bringing those behind the fake report to book.

Ogun Police Arrest 18 Crime Suspects

Ogun Police Arrest 18 Crime SuspectsThe policemen attached to Itele Ota division in Ogun state, have carried out raids of criminal hideouts and black spots in Ayetoro area of Itele where 17 crime suspects were arrested.

Recovered from them were bags of substance suspected to be Indian hemp, assorted charms, eight motorcycles, one generator, nine mobile phones and 123,000 Naira cash.

The Ogun State Police Command also arrested a man identified as Onyebuchi Chika suspected to be the brain behind many cases of burglary and stealing in Awa Ijebu and its environs.

The suspect, who was arrested in the early hours of Saturday, was said to have been terrorizing residents of the area for some time.

He was said to have been arrested when a distress call was made to the Divisional Police Officer in Awa ijebu by the victim of his criminal act and the DPO led his anti-robbery team to the scene, combed the area thoroughly and subsequently arrested the suspect.

Items allegedly recovered from him include a sowing machine, two mattresses, cooking gas and some burglary instruments.

According to the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi, the suspect has confessed to being a serial burglar and that the students of Olabisi Onanbanjo University residing in the community are always his target.

The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, has ordered the immediate transfer of the two cases to state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation.

Residents Call For Removal Of DPO In Sagamu

Saleh-SagamuSome residents of Sagamu in Ogun state, south west Nigeria, are demanding for the removal of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for an alleged extortion and illegal arrest of innocent residents of the area.

The call was made during a peaceful protest held across major streets of the town where they appealed to the state government to wade into the matter before it degenerates to a major crisis.

The protesters called on the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to have him redeployed.

Reacting to the allegations levelled against the senior police officer, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, said the allegations would be investigated and “if the officer is found culpable, he will face the consequence of his actions”.

Controversy Trails Plateau LGC Dissolution

Simon-Lalong-PlateauFollowing the dissolution of the Plateau Local Government Council (LGC) Executives by the state governor, Simon Lalong, the sacked Chairmen have been directed to hand over to directors of personnel in the various Local Government Councils.

The affected officers have been contesting the termination of their tenure which is just half way.

Since the dissolution of the elected Chairmen and Councillors in 15 of the 17 Local Government Areas (LGA) in the state, activities in the various councils have been disrupted and non-functional with the decision attracting protests and rally to the state House of Assembly and the Police Command, to express their disagreement on the issue.

After securing an order from Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Jos, the Plateau State capital, for stay of execution on the governor not to dissolve the local government officials, the Association of Local Government Of Nigeria (ALGON), Plateau State Chapter, also visited the Police Commissioner, Nasiru Oki, to express their concern on the matter.

Reports says that the controversy still raging the House of Assembly had a rowdy session when the issue of Caretaker Committee for the councils were opposed by some members.

The governor however insisted that the LG Chairmen, as well as the Councillors remain dissolved according to the laws guiding LG in the state.

Though the Chairmen were prevented from entering their offices, the Police Commissioner in the state denied passing such instructions to the Divisional Police officers (DPO).

Absence Of Witness Stalls Subsidy Protest Murder Trial

A Lagos High Court has threatened to close the case of the prosecution over its failure to produce its witnesses in the murder trial which arose from the protests against fuel subsidy removal in January 2012.

A Divisional Police Officer with Pen Cinema Police Division, Lagos, Segun Fabunmi, who has now been dismissed from the Police, is standing trial before the court for allegedly shooting Adedamola Daramola to death at the Yaya-Abatan, Agege area during the protest.

Trial Judge, Justice Olabisi Akinlade frowned at the inability of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, to produce its witnesses in court on Monday, even though the defendant, who was on bail, was present in court with his lawyer, Mr. George Oguntade.

The DPP, Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan who appeared for the prosecution had told the court that the investigative police officer in the case, who was the witness, scheduled to testify today was appearing before a magistrate’s court in Ikeja.

She urged the court to stand down the matter till 12pm to enable the IPO to appear in court. This angered Justice Akinlade who described the request as an insult to the court.

After turning down the prosecution’s request to stand down the matter, the court threatened to close the prosecution’s case if it failed to produce more than one witness in court at the next hearing date.

Justice Akinlade has adjourned further proceedings till February 18.