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
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday returned 21 luxury vehicles worth over N1.8 billion to Canada after they were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria by a criminal syndicate.
Speaking to Newsman in Lagos, Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the seriousness of the growing trade 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 traffic 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 further noted that the illegal trade affects President Tinubu’s economic reforms, which aim to position Nigeria as a trusted hub for international commerce.
To combat this challenge, Adeniyi disclosed that the NCS 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 further 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.
metro
Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor
Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor
The factional House of Assembly in Rivers State, led by Martins Amaewhule, has risen against the Rivers State Commission of Inquiry Law of 1999.
Newstrends reports that the 27 embattled members who previously declared their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The embattled lawmakers are rushing to repeal the law, which empowers the state to inquire into past administrations.
The law was used by Wike, as governor, to create a Judicial Commission of Inquiry that probed the tenure of his predecessor.
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Meanwhile, the Amaewhule-led Assembly has already seen a bill seeking to repeal the law through a second reading. The repeal process was initiated by the lawmakers following the decision of the state government led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara to set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe the recent arson and destruction of local government secretariats in the state.
Notedly, the commission invited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, and the APC Caretaker Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha to testify in the probe. However, both leaders have shunned the probe panel.
The Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, the member representing Akuku Toru Constituency II, Lolo Opuende and the member representing Omuma Constituency, Sylvanus Nwankwo sponsored the bill. Leading the debate on the bill, Nwankwo said the obsolete laws were repealed and re-enacted to reflect current democratic realities.
Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor
metro
Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East
Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu’s government to release the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
Mr Kanu, who has been in the SSS custody since 2021, is being tried for alleged treason.
Ms Ojukwu said that the release of Mr Kanu would help to ensure the total restoration of peace in the South-East. According to her, if Mr Kanu is released, the region’s development will be fast-tracked.
The wife of the late Odumegwu Ojukwu made the call at her husband’s memorial on Tuesday in Owerri. She advised the people of the South-East to look inwards and appraise the Igbo race that made them who they are.
“In the olden days, we had Igbo unions in places like Kano, Lagos and Kaduna, among others, where people discussed matters affecting them and why they must unite.
“Today, we are celebrating Ojukwu, our uncommon man, a man who stood for peace and equality for every person,” she said.
Ms Ojukwu expressed dissatisfaction that the peaceful atmosphere which Igboland was known for was no longer obtained in the region.
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“There are so many killings, unrest and kidnappings going on today in the region, which is not how it used to be,” Ms Ojukwu said.
She regretted that many people from the region could not go home again to bury their dead or give their children out to marriage due to the spate of unrest and insecurity.
Ms Ojukwu urged the people perpetrating the evil acts to desist from it and embrace peace. She pointed out that some of the perpetrators were from the region and urged them to allow peace to reign.
She condemned the act of killing people in the region “in the name of a sit-at-home directive from non-state actors.”
“Many people from the South-East have left the region for other cities like Lagos and other places due to the spate of insecurity in the area. I was sad when an Igbo person in the U.S. told me that they are making donations in America to buy burial grounds to bury their dead relations as insecurity in the region doesn’t allow them to do that at home come home,” the minister stated.
The event organiser, Raph Uwazuruike, urged Mr Tinubu’s government to release the IPOB leader.
Mr Uwazuruike, the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, stressed that Mr Kanu’s release would help the region experience peace again.
He said the memorial service was to commemorate Mr Ojukwu’s legacies, adding that “all the good things he stood for will not be forgotten.”
Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East
(NAN)
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