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Tuesday, 1 November, 2016
Metro...
crime, security, court
Robbers invade Ughelli bank at midnight, cart away N25m Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri
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USPECTED armed robbers, between Friday night and Saturday morning invaded an only branch of an old generation bank in Ughelli, Delta State, making away with about N25 million. A staff of the bank, who craved anonymity, told Metro Sunday afternoon in Warri, that the rampaging robbers invaded the strong room and vault of the bank with jigsaw, drilling machine, welding machine and other tools. The bank source said dynamites were also used to blow up the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) from inside of the bank, but left the ATM machine outside untouched. The robbers were said to have clinically carried out the midnight operation in military camouflage with no resistance. The source said after gaining access to the premises of the bank, the security men on duty were
rounded up and tied in order not to pose any threat. Another source informed Metro that it was believed the daredevils would have made away with not less
than N25 million because the bank usually left behind such amount in the vault at weekends. Although the Police Public Relations Officer
(PPRO), Delta State Command, Celestina Kalu, could not be reached as of the time of filing this report, Metro gathered that some senior officials
of the bank, as well as the security men on duty who were arrested and taken to police headquarters after the incident were released on Sunday.
Imo State Police Command arresting a soldier serving with the 26 Tax Force Brigade, Borno State and a corps member serving in Oyo State for robbery alongside 25 other criminal suspects in Owerri, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN
Police kill 2 illegal miners in Niger Adelowo Oladipo - Minna
OPERATIVES of the Niger State Police Command have allegedly killed two suspected illegal miners Saturday evening in Kafin-Koro, Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State, though identity of the miners killed could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report. The incident, Metro gathered to have taken place when the miners, in their multitude, decided to attack policemen deployed to the mining site after the death of seven illegal miners at the site, who were buried in the hole they dug. Metro also learnt from a source close to the village that the illegal miners, who have defied every warning from both the state government and security agents in the state to desist from their illegal activities,
mobilised themselves and waylaid the policemen. The source, who pleaded for anonymity, stated that the miners, armed with some dangerous weapons, attacked the policemen, injuring one of them in the head in the process and the policemen were said to have opened fire, killing two of the miners on the spot. Illegal mining activities had become rampant in various parts of the state in recent times and this had become a source of concern to the state government. The state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello recently expressed concern over illegal mining of solid minerals resources in the state, with particular reference to Shikira village in Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of the state, where many lives, mostly minors, were lost to Lead
poison from illegal mining of gold by the locals. The governor had warned that “it is high time our people desisted from engaging in illegal mining, as its devastating effect on their health, environment and economy is unquantifiable.” He added that the irony of this activity was that our people were being exploited, abused and at the end, many lives were put on the line due to health hazards associated with mining and at the longrun, our human capital was being depleted and our environment exposed to danger. Governor Bello said efforts were on to standardise mining activities in the state, in collaboration with the Federal Government, so that miners and environment were protected and proceeds from exploitation well-coordinated.
Nigerian Tribune
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana, said the police had sealed off the mining site.
He, however, warned all those involved in the illegal mining activities across the state to desist from such illegal acts, because if caught, they would be made to face the full weight of the law.
Man docked for allegedly defiling friend’s underage daughter FOR allegedly defiling his friend’s 10-year-old daughter, Godwin Itta, was on Monday docked at an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. Itta, a factory worker who resides at Balogun Street, Orile Agege, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a charge of defilement. The prosecutor, Sergeant Rafael Donny, told the court that Itta committed the offence on October 22 at Jibowu Street, Orile Agege, during a visit to his friend’s house.
“The victim, a 10-year-old girl, was the only person the accused met at home. “The accused pulled the girl on to the floor and defiled her,” he said. The offence, he said contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, to which the accused entered a non-guilty plea. The chief magistrate, Mrs Badejo Okusanya, granted the accused bail of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum. She adjourned the case till December 12 for mention.
Okada operators attack Task Force operatives in Apapa •Injure driver, damage agency’s operational vehicles Bola Badmus - Lagos
COMMERCIAL motorcycle operators popularly called okada riders plying restricted routes around Apapa, Lagos State during the last Environmental Sanitation Day exercise in the state attacked operatives of Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation (Task Force) with stones, matchets, broken bottles and woods. In the ensuing melee, Metro gathered that a driver of the agency was injured on the head, while windscreens and front lights of four trucks belonging to the agency were vandalised with two other hilux vehicles destroyed. Consequently, the agency said it successfully arrested five of the okada operators who were mainly Chadians and Nigeriens and impounded 27 okadas. Chairman of the Task Force, Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed in a statement made available to newsmen by spokesman of the agency, Mr Taofiq Adebayo, saying okada operators were sighted plying restricted routes in Apapa, picking and dropping passengers without any regard to the Lagos State Environmental during the Sanitation Day. According to Egbeyemi, the motorcycle operators later mobilised themselves in hundreds and attacked task force officials with stones, matchets, broken bottles and woods. He disclosed that the Lagos State government had since directed that the entire Apapa area be thoroughly rid of miscreants and hoodlums, including motorcycle operators plying restricted routes for a safer and a cleaner environment. He, therefore, urged all residents living in all nooks and crannies of Apapa and its environs to please give maximum cooperation and support to the agency during the operation ‘Total Enforcement on Environmental Sanitation Execercise’ around Apapa.