The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre said it has arrested two suspects over criminal conspiracy, identity theft and romance scams in Abuja.

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the arrest was in furtherance of the order of the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to bequeath a safer cyber space to Nigerians.

Mr Adejobi said the suspects, residents of Panasonic Estate in Idu, Abuja, have confessed to computer-related frauds, associated with romance scams and identity theft.

The police spokesman said substantial evidence from their electronic devices had shed light on their criminal activities.

He said one of the suspects, a former student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), claimed to have been in the music industry since 2016 and also operates a public relations company.

Mr Adejobi said the suspect had confessed to being engaged in fraudulent activities since 2014 through Facebook.

The police spokesman said investigation had also uncovered compelling evidence linking him to fraud and romance scams till date.

He said the two suspects were close associates, adding that the second suspect was arrested along with the first suspect.

Mr Adejobi said the second suspect had claimed that his visit to the residence of the first suspect was for music recording purposes.

However, he admitted to having a unique connection with a 69-year-old white woman, known as Winnie, whom he identifies as both a fan and a friend.

“This connection goes beyond casual friendship as evidence indicating a series of cash exchanges between him and the elderly woman have come to light,” he said.

Mr Adejobi pledged the commitment of the Nigeria Police to ensure the safety and security of citizens by relentlessly cracking down on criminal activities.

He urged the public to remain vigilant and cautious when interacting with individuals online, especially those they have not met in person.

The timely intervention of police operatives from Ilemba-Hausa Division under the Lagos state command, saved a man found with the dead body of his friend’s child.

The police public relations officer in Lagos, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the situation on Sunday.

Mr Hundeyin said that the incident happened on Friday, when a man, who was assisting his friend to go and bury his dead child was almost lynched when some residents found the corpse with him.

He said that the residents were suspicious and took him as a ritual killer, who might have abducted and killed the child.

The image maker said that after some torture by the residents, he was dragged to the Ilemba-Hausa police division.

“Upon interrogation, he told the police that the child had been sick for a while and had just died in the hospital.

“He said he was contracted by the parents to help bury the child. He was on his way to bury the child before he was accosted by some residents who thought he had evil intention.

“The parents of the deceased child were invited to the station, where they confirmed the man’s claim,” Mr Hundeyin said.

The spokesperson said that the parents of the child and the accused man were released to proceed with the burial as planned.

The police command in Bauchi state has arrested five suspects for various crimes, ranging from armed robbery, burglary to phone snatching in the state.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Ahmed Wakil, stated this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Bauchi.He said the five suspects were arrested for committing different offences in different parts of the state.

“Our operatives arrested 24 years old Umar Abubakar AKA (Barbertov) with a dangerous weapon, who trespassed into the victim’s house situated at Kandahar Area of Bauchi and attempted to steal the victim’s Jincheng motorcycle AX 100 model.

“The police also arrested two suspects, all armed with Dane-gun and cutlass, who had stormed their victim’s residence on July 31 at about 2300 hrs and demanded money.

“The command also arrested two suspects, Usman Musa, 18, aka Kan Daki of Gwallameji and Usama Sulaiman, 18, aka Keya of Birshi Gandu for criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, causing grievous hurt and receiving stolen property,” Mr Wakil said.

He said the command recovered exhibits that included Jincheng motorcycle AX 100 model, machetes, Dane guns, axe, knife, cutlasses, stick laptops and different models of phones, among others.

The spokesperson said investigation revealed that the suspects belonged to a notorious group that specialised in terrorising innocent citizens’ houses within Bauchi metropolis and robbing them of valuables.

Mr Wakil said the suspects, during investigation, confessed to their crimes, adding that they were currently cooperating with the detectives in mentioning some of their accomplices.He said the suspects would be profiled and charged to court without delay.

Mr Wakil said the commissioner of police, Auwal Muhammad, lauded the efforts of the operatives for their unrelenting commitment and professionalism in discharging their statutory duties to curb all forms of criminality in the state.

The police command in Imo says it foiled an attack on the chairman of the Council of Imo Traditional Rulers, Eze Emmanuel Okeke, at his Amaifeke palace in Orlu LGA on Tuesday.

The attack left at least one person dead, with several others wounded.The command’s spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, said a local security operative died from gunshot wounds after the attack.

“Police operatives of Orlu divisional headquarters in a joint operation with the local vigilantes of Amaifeke ancient Kingdom, Orlu on 18/07/2023 at about 1415hrs foiled attempts to invade the palace of the chairman Council of Imo Traditional Rulers, the traditional ruler of Amaifeke Ancient Kingdom, HRH Eze Emmanuel Okeke at Amaifeke in Orlu LGA of Imo state,” said the statement.

It added,

“The hoodlums came in their numbers shooting sporadically and fighting their way into the palace but were given a stiff resistance by police operatives and local vigilantes who professionally took vantage positions and engaged the hoodlums in a protracted gun duel.”

The statement said the stiff resistance by the joint security operatives forced the hoodlums to flee with gunshot wounds.According to the police, two vigilantes were shot.

“Unfortunately, one of them died while receiving medical attention, while the other is in stable condition. On combing the adjourning bushes, blood stains were seen, which evidentially suggested that the hoodlums were fatally hit,” the police command stated.

It also mentioned that police commissioner Mohammed Ahmed Barde urged Amaifeke residents not to panic as adequate security measures are in place to forestall future attacks.

“More so, the CP beckons the general public, particularly owners of hospitals and first-aid outlets, to swiftly report persons seen with or treating gunshot injury in the state to the nearest police station,” the statement.

It urged the public to call the command’s emergency numbers (08034773600 or 08098880197).

On Monday, the National Industrial Court ordered the Police Service Commission (PSC) to pay retired Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Joseph Mbu N40 million as damages.

The court found that Mr Mbu’s retirement before the mandatory age of 60 was unlawful. Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae stated,

”I hold that the claimant’s premature retirement through a press release on July 2, 2016, is unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void, and of no effect.”

The court further set aside the purported retirement and declared that Mr Mbu remained an officer of the Nigeria Police Force ( NPF) until he attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 on May 10, 2018.

Additionally, the court ordered the defendant to pay Mr Mbu his salaries, allowances, and entitlements from July 2, 2016, when he was wrongly retired, until May 10, 2018, when he should have retired at 60.

As part of the judgment, the court awarded the claimant N750,000 as the cost of the suit. The judge warned that failure to comply with the court’s order within 30 days would result in a 10 per cent annual interest penalty.

The court, however, declined the claimant’s request for promotion to the position of deputy inspector general and reinstatement.

The court explained that the reliefs could not be granted as the claimant had already reached the mandatory retirement age when the case was pending in May 2018.

According to the facts of the case, Mr Mbu filed the suit against the PSC over his alleged compulsory retirement on July 2, 2016, while serving as the commandant of the Police Staff College.

In his statement, he stated that he was born on May 10, 1958, joined the police on December 11, 1985, and had not reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 or completed 35 years of service at the time of his retirement in 2016.

Mr Mbu had therefore sought, amongst other reliefs, an order of the court to invalidate his retirement, which he claimed was communicated through a press release and was not served statutory notice of retirement.

He also asked for the payment of his salaries, allowances, and other entitlements from July 2016 to 2018, when he would have been due for retirement.

In addition, he sought the payment of his terminal benefits, N500 million as general damages, and N20 million as the cost of the suit.

The defendant, in response, argued that Mr Mbu was not retired through a press release but rather through a ceremonial event.

The defendant also claimed that promotion within the force is not automatic and that Mr Mbu did not meet certain promotion requirements.

The defendant further stated that the reorganisation within the NPF at the time of Mr Mbu’s retirement followed due process and that he was not the only person affected.

In its judgment, the court stated that although the defendant failed to appear in court to present its defence, the claimant still had the burden of proof.

The judge emphasised that pleadings were not equivalent to evidence and that the defendant’s absence in court, despite receiving several hearing notices, indicated an abandonment of its case.

Ms Obaseki-Osaghae stated that since the claimant had successfully proven his case based on credible evidence, independent of the defendant’s weaknesses, he was entitled to some of the reliefs sought.

The Police Command in Kano State has confirmed the arrest of 12 illegal immigrants from Mali and the Niger Republic as well as 33 other suspected criminals.

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Usaini-Gumel, announced on Wednesday that twelve illegal immigrants, seven of whom were Malians and five were Nigeriens who had been deported from Saudi Arabia, were found in a house located in Hotoro Yandodo Quarters, Kano.

“The immigrants have wounds after altering their fingerprints with razor cuts to evade detection by Saudi Arabian authorities.

“The 33 other suspects were arrested for various offences, which include armed robbery, theft, kidnapping and possession of illicit weapons, among others,” the commissioner said.

The police recovered various items from the illegal immigrants’ house, including 46 mobile phones, 21 sim cards, knives, a cutlass, a toy gun, and a set of master keys.

The police also found sachets of diazepam tablets, 79 exol tablets, and 98 wraps of dry leaves that were suspected to be Indian hemp.

The suspects will be taken to court after the investigation is completed.The CP praised the citizens of the state for their ongoing support, cooperation, and understanding in the fight against crime and criminal activities in the state.

He encouraged all police officers to work harder, be skilled, and remain committed to fighting crime.

He stated that in case of any emergencies, the Kano State Police Command can be reached through these phone numbers: 08032419754, 08123821575, and 09029292926.