TUESDAY JANUARY 3, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY
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CRIME&PUNISHMENT Aderiye’s Murder: Faparusi Wants NJC to Investigate Incarceration of Suspects Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti A member of the seventh House of Representatives, Hon Bamidele Faparusi, has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate prolonged imprisonment of accused persons linked with the murder of former Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ekiti State, Mr. Omolafe Aderiye. Faparusi said those being trie d by the state High Court over their complicity in the gruesome murder of the NURTW’s boss were allegedly being victimised by the state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, for their political belief, using the instrumentality of the judiciary. Aderiye was murdered in 2014 by unknown gunmen in Ado Ekiti and eight persons, who are known All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains are being incarcerated in court on the order of Justice Lekan Ogunmoye since December 2014. Those being tried included two former Chairmen Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria, Mr Rotimi Olabiwonnu (aka Mentilo), and Bayo Adeyiye (aka Ojuigo), Mr. Sola Durodola, Oso Farotimi , Ajayi Kayode, Sola Adenijo and Chief Niyi Adedipe(aka Apase).
The APC chieftain, who said this in Ado Ekiti yesterday while presenting gifts to the families of the suspects, pointed out that the NJC as regulatory body on judicial officers in Nigeria must probe the reason the accused persons were being imprisoned without justifiable reasons. He said he decided to reach out to the families of the accused persons as a way of identifying with them at this ‘trying time’ when their breadwinners were being imprisoned over allegation that cannot be proved. “It is very unfortunate that Fayose is using the judiciary to take a pound of flesh against political foes. It was clear that these accused persons were being prosecuted over trumpedup charges. As we speak now, no veracious evidence has been linked to them with the murder of Aderiye. “Any country where justice is not being served stands the risk of violence, so NJC must do the needful in this matter. The court has been hiding under technicality to prolong their stay in the prison. “The plaintiff, which is now the state government, has been
frustrating attempt to bail them out of the prison. These accused persons are notable people who cannot jump bail. For two times now,
the families had lost the opportunities of celebrating the Christmas and new year with their breadwinners and this is a great injustice which
and other crimes within Jos and its environs. The state Police spokesman, Mr. Terna Tyopev, had said most of the thefts happen at event centres, drinking joints as well as marriage and funeral ceremonies. He advised car owners to adopt security measures to secure their vehicles, and suggested pedal or steering locks too. “Car owners should also install modern tracking devices to help in the tracking of their vehicles. Organisers of events should also inform the police in order to obtain security coverage or advice,” he advised. Tyopev also called for extra vigilance, especially in rural areas, cautioning residents against boarding vehicles outside designated motor parks.
FCE Gombe Expels 29 for Riots No fewer than 29 students of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe, have been expelled for their involvement in the June 9 and 10, 2016 disturbance, which led to the closure of the school. The management and the academic board of the college also withdrew 35 students and made 11 others to repeat the 2015/2016 academic session over the same offence. The Provost of the college, Dr. Adamu Abbas, disclosed this in a statement.
He said the decision was based on the findings of a panel set up by the school authority to investigate the students’ riot. He said the recommended punishments, as approved by the Minister of Educa-tion, were made by the Expanded Management Committee of the College to sanction the students based on their level of involvement in the riot. No death was recorded during the fracas, but school property and a police van were destroyed by the students.
has come for the accused persons to be granted bail for Nigeria to prove that it is still operating an egalitarian society.
FREE-TRAIN RIDE
A cross section of Osun indigenes boarding free-train ride provided by the Osun State Government from the Osogbo Railway Station to Lagos after the new year celebrations ....yesterday
Residents, Police Alarmed by Increasing Rate of Crime in Jos NDLEA Discovers Cocaine arresting the criminals. Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The state Police Command had Inside Soles of New Foot Residents of Jos, Plateau State earlier expressed serious concerns capital, have raised the alarm over the increasing rate of car theft Wears over high rate of crime, especially car theft in the state, and called on security operatives to step up measures towards nipping the crime in the bud. Several persons, including a journalist with Nigerian Pilot newspaper, Mr. Golok Nanmwa, became victims of cars theft during the yuletide season. Narrating his ordeal, Nanmwa said: “I parked my car on December 24, 2016, at a popular recreation spot around Jos International Breweries (JIB) village in Jos and went into the spot. I came out after about one hour and found that the car had been stolen.” Another victim, who gave his name as Yinka, said his car was also stolen during the Christmas period in the state. The victims appealed to security operatives to step up efforts at
must be corrected,” he stated. Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Mrs. Seun Adenijo and Mrs. Sola Durodola said the time
Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja have discovered parcels of whitish substance that tested positive for cocaine inside foot wears. The cocaine, according to a statement yesterday in Lagos by the agency’s spokesperson, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, weighed 9.150kgs. “The discovery was made in a shipment of shoes during inward screening of passengers on a Turkish airline flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil. “The cocaine was industrially concealed in the soles of new foot wears. “It was the last arrest of 2016 at the Abuja airport with an estimated value of 3.8 million pounds in Europe. “There was an arrest at the weekend of a 34-year-old suspect, Kingsley Okolo. “The suspect who is a motorcycle parts dealer said that he was offered N1 million to smuggle the drugs to Nigeria. “Investigation is ongoing and the suspect is cooperating with our team of undercover officers,” the statement said. The statement also quoted the chairman of the NDLEA, Mr. Muhammad Abdallah, who said that the huge profit derived from drug trafficking has made it a top priority for drug cartels to be financially incapacitated. “We must continue to take deliberate steps to intercept drugs and ultimately prevent the criminal enrichment of drug cartels. “Illicit drug proceeds negatively affect economic development and could be used to corrupt government officials and fund terrorism, thereby subjecting mankind to widespread destruction,” Abdallah stated. Abdallah, also commended the arresting officers, describing the seizure
as one of the benefits of training. “The seizure is a validation of enhanced capacity of officers due to series of training programmes carried out by the agency. “The training covering investigation, raid operations as well as prosecution was conducted with the assistance of the United States government, European Union (EU) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). “This is just a tip of the iceberg because as the benefits of these training begin to manifest, more drugs shall be detected and cartels dislodged in the days ahead”. The NDLEA boss appealed to stakeholders to intensify the antinarcotics campaign adding that ‘we needed all hands on deck as we begin the new year. “The suspect will soon be charged to court,” he added.
Rising Wave of ‘Area Boys’ Threat to my Domain, Monarch Cries out Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti An ex-envoy and the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi, has lamented the rising activities of the street urchins popularly called ‘area boys’ in his town, calling on the state Governor, Ayodele Fayose’s government and stakeholders to tackle the menace to prevent crime. The monarch, who is a retired diplomat, also urged the government to set up a Banana industry in the town being the hub of banana and plantain plantations in the state to create employment for the teeming unemployed youths. The traditional ruler said this yesterday at a ceremony held with stakeholders comprising Ilawe elites and political bigwigs from the town. The monarch expressed profound
Police Arrest 21 Kidnappers, Cattle Rustlers, Recover 477 Cattle Laleye Dipo in Minna The police in Minna, Niger State, yesterday said it had made a breakthrough in its offensive against cattle rustlers and kidnappers with the arrest of 21 suspects and recovery of 477 cattle, 90 sheep and confiscation of assorted weapons. Five of the suspects were reportedly arrested in Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area, where suspected fleeing Boko Haram members raided last week leading to the death of not less than four people and rustling of
over 400 cattle. The police did not make reference to this incident but said locally made pistols were recovered from the suspects arrested in Tegina. In the operation which the Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, tagged: ‘New Year raid’ made available to journlalists said: “ on December 28, 2016 working on credible intelligence the police also arrested “ the most wanted cattle rustler” by name Abdullahi Alhaji Altini of Ejiga Randege, Birnin Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
thanks and appreciation to the people of Ilawe for their support since he ascended the throne five years ago. According to him, “We have resolved to address as a matter of urgency the need for additional bank in Ilawe and to end the menace of ‘Area Boys’ syndrome in this town and the commencement of banana industry project, so that our youths can get employment.” Taking stock of the progresse made in 2016, Oba Alabi praised the human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), for his contributions to the construction of a Federal Government College in Afunremu, a section of the community, saying this will help to boost education at the grassroots level. The monarch also revealed plans by a group of educationist to establish a private university in Ilawe, adding that details would be made public later. He stated that the sum of N7 million realised during the launching of a civic centre under construction project beyond foundation level hence therecoursetoprivateentrepreneurship for speedy completion of the edifice. The monarch thanked Fayose for his plans to dualise Ilawe major highways in 2017, saying this will also boost the aesthetic value of the town. Alabi also set up a 15-man planning committee for his fifth year coronation anniversary scheduled for April, 21 to 23, 2017. The committee has Falana as its chairman, Mr. Philip Amujo as vice chairman and Chief Bunmi Olugbade as Secretary.