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LASTMA, police probe traffic extortion, withdraw errant officers

Published

2 years ago

July 7, 2022

The Lagos State Police Command and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority have started investigations into the alleged extortion of motorists in the Berger-Isheri area of the state.

PUNCH Metro also gathered that the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, had summoned the divisional police officers in other areas where some motorists alleged extortion rates were high.

The development followed an investigation by PUNCH Metro on a suspected syndicate made up of policemen and LASTMA officers in the Berger-Isheri area.

Our correspondent, who disguised as a hawker and sold popcorn and face masks in traffic, observed for four hours as the group exploited motorists seeking to connect from the Berger-Isheri Road to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The reporter noted that the green arrow of the old traffic light ran for about 20 seconds before indicating the amber and the red light.

Motorists, who left the waiting lane between 17th and 19th seconds, when the green light was still on, were arrested as soon as they got to the road linking the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

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Our correspondent also observed as the LASTMA officers and policemen stopped motorists and pointed their attention to the traffic light, which by then had turned red.

PUNCH Metro noted that the motorists were stopped on the instruction of a pot-bellied man in mufti, who entered their vehicles.

The dark-complexion man, with two others also in mufti, entered at least two Toyota Camry cars and did not alight until after a stop at a Point-of-Sale terminal shop.

While the investigation lasted, our correspondent noticed coordination among the uniformed officers, numbering seven, as motorists were extorted.

Some Nigerians, who read the report on Tuesday, took to different social media platforms to share their ordeals in other parts of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officers, Benjamin Hundeyin, told PUNCH Metro that the command had commenced investigation into the matter.

“We are taking steps to make sure this kind of thing stops,” he added.

A source at the command headquarters told our correspondent that the state Commissioner of Police, Alabi, was angry at the conduct of the policemen.

The source noted that all the DPOs in the other areas had been summoned for a meeting.

The source said, “The report has spurred the command to action, and the CP has ordered that the names of the places mentioned in the story be listed and the DPOs in those areas summoned to his office.”

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Some of the spots mentioned by readers are Iyana Ipaja Motor Park; Apple Junction, Amuwo Odofin; Ikeja Underbrige inward Maryland by LASUTH; Allen Roundabout, Ikeja; Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere; Ajao Estate, via Osolo; Ajah Traffic Light, Lekki-Epe Expressway; FESTAC Town by First Gate, among others.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, when contacted on the phone, said he had ordered an independent investigation into the report.

He said, “We have begun our own covert investigation into the matter. It started today (Wednesday) and it will take days to conclude our findings.”

Meanwhile, checks by PUNCH Metro on Tuesday and Wednesday revealed that the cops and LASTMA officers sighted by our correspondent during the investigation were no longer at the location.

However, a few LASTMA officers were seen inside the traffic warden box.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, said experts had been consulted to check “complaints people have about the traffic light” in the community.

On the traffic cameras the government announced in January 2021 to catch traffic offenders, Omotosho said the gadgets were only in few places, adding that efforts were on to deploy them across the state.

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Two men land in Ibadan court for allegedly stealing two loaves of bread

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Trends Admin

Two men land in Ibadan court for allegedly stealing two loaves of bread

Two men, Ebenezer Olusesi, 31, and Ibrahim Adeniyi, 41 were on Monday arraigned before an Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing two loaves of bread worth N2,600.

The two men, employees of a popular supermarket in Ibadan, reportedly stole the bread from their employer.

Olusesi, a baker and Adeniyi, a security guard, pleaded not guilty to theft.

The prosecution counsel, David Adepoju, told the court that the defendants conspired to commit the offence.

Adepoju said the defendants on April 28 stole two loaves of bread, property of FoodCo Company, Ring Road, Ibadan, represented by Friday Achibong.

He said the offence contravened section 390 (a) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N50,000 each with two sureties each in like .

Ogunkanmi said one of the sureties must be a relation while the second sureties must present tax evidence for two year.

She adjourned the case until August 15 for hearing.

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Missing Delta varsity female student found dead, two suspects arrested

Published

17 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Trends Admin

Miss Faith Omodon

Missing Delta varsity female student found dead, two suspects arrested

Two suspects are in the custody of the Edo State Police Command in connection with the disappearance and death of a 200-level undergraduate of Delta State University of Science and Technology, Agbor, Miss Faith Omodon.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the inhabitants of Iru Egbede community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State had, on March 30, reported the sudden disappearance of their daughter who was studying Business Administration at DELSU.

The father of the missing girl, Edward Omodon, had told our correspondent that his daughter was last seen on March 30, after she left home for the farm on a motorcycle. He said the incident occurred when the community was holding their national conference.

“We usually have the Iru National Conference at this time of the year. We were seated inside the community hall when we heard loud wailing outside that my daughter was missing. She had left for the farm earlier that morning with a motorcycle, taking her breakfast in a flask with her,” he said.

However, our correspondent gathered on Sunday that the community’s vigilante group arrested and handed over two suspects in connection with the disappearance.

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Speaking with PUNCH Metro on the incident, on Sunday, the National Youth Chairman of Iru- Egbede, Donald Isioma, disclosed that the suspects were arrested on Saturday afternoon.

He said the two were arrested when the phone of the deceased was tracked and traced to the suspects.

Isioma added, “The police have recovered the phone from the suspects and the motorbike Omodon rode to the farm on the day she went missing.

“One of the suspects who is a member of the community has confessed that they had killed the girl while being interrogated at the Okpaihe Police Station before the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Benin.”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said information concerning the arrest had yet to reach him but promised to get back as soon as he contacted men of the SCID. He had yet to do that as of the time of filing this report on Sunday evening.

Missing Delta varsity female student found dead, two suspects arrested

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NAF airstrikes kill scores of terrorists in Borno, Niger enclaves

Published

17 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Trends Admin

NAF airstrikes kill scores of terrorists in Borno, Niger enclaves

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Sunday said the air components of Operations Hadin Kai and Whirl Punch in the North East and North Central killed many terrorists in airstrikes in Borno and Niger.

The Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, disclosed this in a statement.

Gabkwet said the air components had continued to obliterate terrorists and destroy their structures, equipment and mobility, thereby limiting their ability to attack ground troops and innocent Nigerians at will.

He said that in the North East, the air interdiction was on May 3 authorized and conducted over Chinene, a location tucked inside the Mandara Mountain.

He said terrorists had been observed to be emanating from various locations and assembling ostensibly for a meeting.

According to him, seven gun trucks were also observed parked under trees within the same location.

Gabkwet said the aircraft bombarded the assembly area and tree coverings and destroyed their weapons and mobility.

He said that the Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the strikes were successful as several terrorists were neutralised and logistics destroyed.

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He said similar airstrikes were conducted same day by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch in a pre-emptive air strikes over terrorists hibernating at Allawa village, near Shiroro town in Niger.

The NAF spokesman said the mission was conducted following credible intelligence which revealed the migration of terrorists into the village after the mass exit of locals for fear of their safety.

He said the terrorists had, on May 1, stormed the deserted Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area and torched the Central Primary School.

“In the evening of the same day, another group of terrorists also arrived at the location, wielding AK-47/49 rifles after invading Galapai village in Galadima Kogo District of Shiroro.

“Accordingly, to prevent further occupation as well as pursue the terrorists from the location, the air component scrambled a formation of its platforms to attack the location.

“On arrival at the location, several terrorists were sighted and engaged effectively.

“Furthermore, following credible intelligence as well as detailed aerial observation, which confirmed the presence of their cache of arms hidden inside Allawa Forest, the air component further carried out air strikes at the location,” he said.

Gabkwet also said that the NAF carried out air strikes North of Arugbana and Temakiri in the Niger Delta, where illegal refining sites were observed and destroyed.

He said through this action, the capabilities of oil thieves to continually sabotage and destroy oil pipelines were minimised.