Crime
Police arrest suspected bandit, 2 gunrunners in Kaduna
The Police Command in Kaduna State says it has arrested a suspected bandit and two gunrunners in the state.
A statement by the command spokesman, DSP Mohammed Jalige on Sunday in Katsina, said that the suspected bandit was arrested on Oct. 2, at Sabon Gayan along Kaduna-Abuja highway.
“The Police command had on Oct 2, at about 1330hrs while acting on an actionable intelligence around Sabon Gaya along Kaduna-Abuja road intercepted a Sharon vehicle with Reg. No. MNA 819 NT driven by the suspect, who was from Minna, heading to Katsina State through Kaduna.
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“Upon a thorough search of the said vehicle, the following were recovered: one assault rifle,18 rifle magazines and 241 rounds of live ammunition,” Jalige said.
He also disclosed that the command had arrest a gunrunner on Oct 5, and recovered ammunition from him.
“The operatives while acting on cogent intelligence had on Oct 5, intercepted a gunrunner of Yan Siminti village of Niger.
“The suspect, who hails from Plateau, was on his way to Katsina State to deliver 280 rounds of 7.62 X 39mm caliber live ammunition,” he said.
Jalige added that operatives of the Command on Oct. 8, apprehended a serial arms and ammunition supplier.
He said that the man, who hails from Nasa village in Kachia Local Government Area of the state, had a number of 7.62mm caliber of live ammunition when he was arrested around Galadimawa village in Giwa LGA.
The spokesman said the operatives intercepted the suspect at about 1145hrs on his way to deliver the dangerous items to his cohorts.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to have been on the nefarious business for a very long time,” Jalige said.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Yekini Ayoku, directed intensive investigation be carried out in order to arrest and prosecute all those involved.
He said that the successes being recorded wouldn’t have been possible without the required information from the public, as well as the timely follow-up and action by the Police.
Ayoku reiterated the need to strengthen effective collaboration to turn the tide against Nigeria’s collective enemies and reclaim the public space from them.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over allegations of diverting N1.3 trillion in 13% derivation funds intended for Delta State during his tenure.
Okowa, who served as governor from 2015 to 2023, was detained after he voluntarily appeared at the EFCC’s Port Harcourt Directorate on Monday in response to an official summons.
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According to an EFCC source, Okowa is accused of failing to account for the N1.3 trillion derived from the federation account, as well as an additional N40 billion he allegedly invested in shares of UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
The investigation suggests that Okowa acquired an 8% stake in a major Nigerian bank to support the offshore LNG venture, with funds purportedly misallocated from state resources.
Beyond the LNG shares, investigators are probing whether Okowa redirected state funds to acquire high-value properties in Abuja and Asaba.
Okowa is currently held at an EFCC facility in Port Harcourt as the inquiry continues.
The high-profile arrest comes as Okowa, who was the vice-presidential running mate to Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, faces scrutiny over his financial conduct in office.
Amid repeated absences from court, the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for Hathiramani Ranesh, Managing Director of Dana Air, who faces charges of fraud and conspiracy tied to alleged misappropriations totaling N1.3 billion.
The ruling, handed down Monday by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, calls for Ranesh’s immediate arrest following his failure to respond to multiple court summonses.
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Justice Egwuatu cited Section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), empowering the court to issue an arrest warrant against defendants who evade appearance.
“The defendant is legally obligated to appear, and the court is authorized to issue a warrant for arrest if he does not,” Justice Egwuatu said, setting January 13, 2025, as the next court date, adding that no objections will be considered unless Ranesh is present.
Ranesh and two Dana Group subsidiaries—Dana Group PLC and Dana Steel Ltd—face serious allegations from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Prosecutors claim that between 2014 and 2018, Ranesh and his companies engaged in fraudulent activities, including the unauthorized sale of industrial generators valued at N450 million, which had been pledged as collateral in a debenture agreement.
Additional charges allege the misappropriation of N864 million from bond funds meant for operations at the Dana Steel Rolling Factory in Katsina, and a N60.3 million transfer to an external account without authorization.
The charges, filed by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Moshood Adeyemi, cite violations under the Criminal Code Act.
In court, government lawyer Mojisola Okeya-Esho argued for the arrest warrant, stating that Ranesh had disregarded court orders to appear for arraignment.
Defense counsel B. Ademola-Bello challenged the prosecution, contending that jurisdictional issues must be addressed before proceeding with the case.
Justice Egwuatu dismissed these objections, underscoring that Ranesh’s presence in court is required before other arguments can be entertained.
The matter is now adjourned until January 13, 2025, with the warrant remaining active until the defendant is brought to court.
In a shocking act of violence, armed assailants targeted the Police Rapid Response Squad facility in Owerrinta early Monday morning, resulting in the tragic death of a female detainee.
The attack occurred shortly after midnight along the Umuahia-Aba Federal Expressway.
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State Commissioner of Police Danladi Isa confirmed the incident, revealing that the gunmen arrived in three Hilux vehicles and opened fire on the police facility.
“Our personnel successfully repelled the attack,” Isa stated.
However, the attackers resorted to using dynamite, causing significant damage to the building and exposing the detainees inside.
During the chaos, the gunmen attempted to free detainees, leading to the fatal shooting of the female suspect.
Unconfirmed reports suggest she was in custody related to a child trafficking case.
In the aftermath of the attack, police swiftly initiated a manhunt for the perpetrators, employing advanced technical methods to track their movements.
Commissioner Isa announced the arrest of one suspect, who is currently undergoing interrogation to uncover the identities of additional accomplices.
“We are making significant progress in our investigation,” he affirmed.
Authorities are calling on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities as the investigation continues.
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