The association’s President, Olorogun Emadoye, stated that the group had started engaging with relevant authorities to find lasting solutions to such incidents.
metro
My daughter pregnant with twins, died with her glory –Slain lawyer’s mum
The mother of late Omobolanle Raheem, the lawyer who was shot dead by Drambi Vandi, a policeman attached to the Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah, Lagos State, has said the victim was pregnant with twins.
The bereaved woman, according to TheCable, spoke on Tuesday during a condolence visit to the family by the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi.
She said, “I cannot see my ‘The Law’ again. People usually call her ‘The Law’. She was taken away from me. She was pregnant with twins.
“She died with her glory. She left a five-year-old daughter behind. And they took her away.
“On Monday, my granddaughter came to me and said ‘Grandma Iju Ishaga, I saw you yesterday when you were crying; you were shouting; is it because of my mummy?’ And I said ‘yes’.
“Then she came again and told me, ‘Pastor Jerry said what God cannot do does not exist; so, grandma, stop crying’. And she kissed me on the cheek.
“It is not easy. A child that I have been training since childhood. I suffered over her. I hawked oranges; there is nothing I did not do.”
PUNCH Metro had reported that Vandi and his team tried to stop the car conveying Raheem and her family as they made a U-turn under the Ajah Bridge.
The policeman shot at the vehicle and Raheem was hit by a bullet.
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She was rushed to a hospital where she was confirmed dead.
A senior security official at the Ajiwe Police Station, who spoke to PUNCH Metro, said Vandi claimed accidental discharge.
The source said, “He was being interrogated by the DPO and some senior police officers yesterday morning (Monday). He said he had cocked his gun to scare someone earlier and forgot to return it to safe. By the time the victim arrived at the checkpoint, he attempted to repeat the same act, but mistakenly pulled the trigger.”
The source disclosed that the killer cop was due for promotion next year.
“Vandi is a calm officer. He is due to be promoted to Deputy Superintendent of Police by February 2023 and retire in 2024 before the unfortunate incident.
“He was also not supposed to be part of the team that went out that morning. Besides, it was a pistol that was also assigned to him and not the AK-47. We don’t know how he turned out to be in possession of the gun,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, has said two policemen detained with Vandi would be released.
He said, “The two policemen arrested with the ASP who killed the lawyer will be released today (Tuesday) after giving their testimonies to the command. They were arrested because they saw what happened. They were not the ones who allegedly killed the woman. They have given their stories on what happened and the CP has ordered that they should be released while investigations continue.”
He stated that another policeman from the division who killed one Gafaru Buraimoh on December 7 would be charged upon the conclusion of investigation.
Reacting to the incident, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), directed the Nigeria Police Force to take “the strongest possible action” against the suspect.
The President, in a statement signed by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, also assured the deceased’s family and members of the Nigeria Bar Association that justice would prevail.
He noted that the incident was “a stark reminder of the recurring menace of the mishandling of weapons” and a wakeup call to law enforcement agencies, including the police, to ensure full implementation of reforms instituted by the regime.
Also, the Police Service Commission, in a statement by its spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, condemned the killing and called on the Nigeria Police Force to improve the training of officers to end unprovoked shootings and killing of innocent Nigerians.
The National Human Rights Commission, while condemning the killing, said Vandi “has fallen short of standard operating procedure and professional ethics of the Nigerian Police Force.”
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The commission, in a statement by its Deputy Director (Corporate Affairs and External Linkages), Fatimah Mohammed, said it would continue to monitor the process of investigation and prosecution of the officer to ensure that justice was served.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also sent a delegation to the family on Tuesday.
The group included the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN; Head of Service, Muri Okunola; Commissioner for Women and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Bolaji Dada; and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso.
The AG said, “We have the permission of Mr Governor to tell you that justice will be done in this matter. The matter will be charged to court as soon as the police send us the case file. I will be leading the prosecution to show the seriousness the government attaches to this matter.”
The Lekki Estates’ Residents and Stakeholders’ Association, also called for immediate action to stop the killing of its members by policemen.
metro
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
One Onyeka Ubaka has been sentenced to four years imprisonment for sexual assault and maltreatment of a 16-year-old girl in Lagos State.
He was convicted and sentenced by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday.
Justice Rahmon Oshodi convicted him after he pleaded guilty to the two amended charges brought against him by the Lagos State Government.
Ubaka was initially arraigned on January 12, 2024, and was initially charged with defilement through one-count information filed on October 26, 2023, to which he pleaded not guilty.
In the court proceedings, the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, presented a single witness, the prosecutrix, whose testimony proved particularly significant in establishing the case against the defendant. The prosecutrix who provided a testimony, identified the defendant as her boyfriend and disclosed that she was 16 years old in 2023 and that her relationship with the defendant began in her mother’s shop.
The victim testified to the court that the defendant had multiple instances of sexual intercourse with her, which resulted in pregnancy and childbirth.
“The defendant is the father of my child. He impregnated me, and the child is five months old.”
According to PUNCH, the victim, during cross-examination, gave testimony evidence that incriminate the defendant.
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In one instance, she disclosed that the defendant took her to a bar, gave her yogurt to drink, and after she drank it, she lost consciousness. She further disclosed that she woke up in a hotel room and realised that the defendant had non-consensual sex with her and told her to keep the incident a secret.
At the court proceeding on Tuesday, Justice Oshodi disclosed to the court that the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, had informed the court that the parties had entered a plea and sentence agreement dated and filed on November 25, 2024. The court then charged and convicted the defendant on the amended charge of indecent acts and sexual assault to which the defendant pleaded guilty.
Justice Ramon, in his judgment, stated that the prosecution had established beyond a reasonable doubt the charges brought against the defendant, and found the defendant guilty of indecent act and sexual assault.
“From the evidence presented by the prosecution, I am satisfied that the essential elements of indecent acts and sexual assault have been established. There is an abundance of evidence to support this conclusion. The defendant’s guilty plea further justifies his conviction for the offences contained in the amended information.
“Therefore, I find the defendant guilty and convict him under Sections 134 and 263 of the Criminal Law Supra”, he ruled.
When asked what he had to say, the defendant begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
“Temper justice with mercy so that I will take care of my responsibility,” he appealed.
It is gathered that the defendant’s father had paid the sum of N300,000 and had undertaken to sponsor the prosecutrix first degree and take full responsibility for the child until the child is eight years old.
The prosecution counsel in her final statement asked the court to convict the defendant according to the plea bargain.
“We ask that the convict be sentenced according to the plea bargain agreement starting from the day of remand, March 23, 2023, and this will pass a message to society that sexual offenders are not tolerated in our society.
“We also ask that the name of the convict be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register”, Okeowo said.
Justice Oshodi then found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to four years imprisonment.
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
metro
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
CSP Adetayo Akerele, Chairman of Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, announced the arrest of 53 suspected criminals in Gowon Estate.
Akerele said this operation aimed to boost safety, security, and environmental decorum in the area.
“The agency apprehended drug peddlers, addicts; miscreants; street urchins; illegal street traders and people of shady business dealings.
“We found various illicit drugs and narcotics, including Indian hemp, codeine syrup, and colorado,” Akerele said.
The operation brings relief to residents of Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Egbeda, Idimu, and surrounding areas affected by these criminals.
“Residents have endured trauma and safety risks due to these unauthorized squatters.
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The taskforce is committed to safeguarding residents and ridding the metropolis of individuals preying on law-abiding citizens,” Akerele said.
The agency will monitor other criminal hideouts, blackspots, and abandoned properties.
“This vigilance aims to deter individuals with sinister motives.
“These arrests demonstrate our determination to maintain a safe environment.
“We will hold every individual involved in these illegal practices accountable,” Akerele said.
The 53 suspects will face charges for narcotics-related offenses.
Residents are urged to report suspicious activities through the “See Something, Say Something” initiative.
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
metro
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has returned 21 luxury vehicles worth over N1.8 billion to Canada.
The cars were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria by some criminals.
Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this at a press briefing on Tuesday in Lagos.
He expressed worry at the rise in stolen vehicles and its impact on Nigeria’s economy and security.
According to Adeniyi, Nigeria has become a significant hub for stolen vehicles in West Africa, with syndicates exploiting the country’s ports and borders to bring in stolen vehicles from regions such as Europe, North America, and South America.
He highlighted data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that only 54% of stolen vehicles were recovered between 2013 and 2015, illustrating the scale of the problem.
“This trend undermines our legitimate automotive market, strains our security infrastructure, and damages Nigeria’s international reputation,” Adeniyi said.
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He noted that the illegal trade was affecting President Tinubu’s economic reforms, aimed to position Nigeria as a trusted hub for international commerce.
To combat this challenge, Adeniyi disclosed that the NCS had launched Operation Hot Wheels, a collaborative initiative involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Canadian authorities, and international law enforcement agencies.
The operation focused on intelligence sharing, surveillance, and interdiction to disrupt vehicle trafficking networks.
Adeniyi disclosed that the operation uncovered sophisticated smuggling techniques, including false cargo declarations and containerized shipments used to conceal stolen vehicles.
During one operation, officers intercepted a container at Onne Port in Rivers State declared to contain used vehicles and spare parts.
A physical examination revealed three undeclared 2021 Toyota Highlanders, two of which were confirmed stolen from Canada.
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