FCT police arrest 44 suspects in midnight raids on criminal hideouts

By: Zagazola Makama

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 44 suspects during coordinated midnight raids on criminal hideouts across the territory.

Zagazola Makama said the operation was conducted at about 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday by operatives from Nyanya, Kubwa, Kurudu, Life Camp, Apo, Karmo, Zuba, Byazhin, and Bwari Divisions.

The raids, according to the sources, targeted black spots, criminal hideouts, and uncompleted buildings within the areas of responsibility of the divisions.

The sources stated that the coordinated operation was part of sustained efforts to rid the FCT of criminal elements and ensure safety ahead of the yuletide season.

“All the 44 suspects arrested are currently in custody undergoing screening and interrogation at their respective divisions,” the sources added.

The sources further disclosed that those found culpable after investigation would be charged to court, while others would be released if found innocent.

FCT police arrest 44 suspects in midnight raids on criminal hideouts

Police arrest Beninese national with locally made pistol in Kishi, Oyo

By: Zagazola

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a Beninese national, Munirudeen Ridwan, for alleged unlawful possession of a firearm in Kishi, Irepo Local Government Area of the state.

Zagazola learnt that the suspect was apprehended around Tege Area, Kishi, at about 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday by two local vigilantes, Amusa Adesanju of Alfa Wasiu Compound, Owode Area, and Adegbenjo Yinka of Ojo Compound, Tege Area.

The vigilantes reportedly found the suspect loitering suspiciously in the area and upon searching him, recovered a cut-to-size locally made single-barrel pistol with one live cartridge.

When interrogated, Ridwan was said to have failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for possessing the weapon and later claimed to be an indigene of the Benin Republic.

Police detectives from the Kishi Division visited the scene and took photographs, while the suspect and exhibits were taken into custody.

Sources said investigation is ongoing to determine the suspect’s possible links to cross-border criminal activities and to ascertain the source of the firearm.

Police arrest Beninese national with locally made pistol in Kishi, Oyo

NSCDC Arrests Fake Member of House of Rep, and His Criminal Gang

By: Michael Mike

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Professor Ahmed Audi has ordered investigation into the case of a fake member of the House of Representatives.

A statement by the spokesman of NSCDC, Afolabi Babawale on Tuesday revealed that the Commandant General has ordered the Commandant, Special Intelligence Squad (SIS), to arrest and thoroughly investigate one Hon. Hassan Sani Jikan Mallam, Obeten John, Abubakar Mohammed, and Lucky Emenike on allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, forgery, false personation, and attempt to deceive the public against the four suspects.

Babawale said preliminary investigation reports carried out by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) revealed that the said Hon. Hassan Sani Jikan Mallam has been posing as a House of Representatives member, representing Katsina Central Constituency, and has been issuing official correspondences and complimentary cards with the inscription “Federal Republic of Nigeria, Hon. Hassan Sani Jikan Mallam, Member House of Representatives, Katsina Central Constituency, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.”

Hassan Sani Jikan Mallam and the three others were arrested after they requested to see the NSCDC Commandant General under the guise of being an Honourable Member, Federal House of Representatives, representing the Katsina Central Constituency.

He said during profiling and interviews, the suspect, Hon. Hassan Sani Jikan Mallam, confessed that he hired an SUV PRADO Jeep with registration number ABC 359 GN, a car for hire, with a driver named Lucky Emenike through one Ismaila, who is a car-for-hire driver as well.

He added that the prime suspect further confessed to requesting a security orderly, and one Inalegwu Ameh, who was alleged to be a Nigerian police officer on guard duty at the NICON Luxury Hotel, volunteered to join the team.

It was further gathered that the prime suspect and his team embarked on a series of illegal official and consultative visits to the Ministry of Art and Culture, Federal Secretariat Abuja, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Mataima Paracel Crescent, and Wuse Zone II, then to an automobile workshop at Jabi before making their way to Hassan Sanijikan’s house at No. 21 Bamako Street, Zone I, Abuja.

‎Babawale said still on the mischievous movement in his identity theft pursuit targeted at disparaging the public; Hassan Sani Jikan Mallam requested for security orderly again the next time through Lucky Emenike but Inalegwu Ameh the acclaimed Police personnel referred Lucky Emenike to Police Inspector Obeten John who dressed in Camouflage suspected to be Nigeria Police Uniform to serve as orderly and the three of them then proceeded from Hassan Sani Jikan Mallam’s apartment to Ministry of Art and Culture, Spain Embassy at No. 8 Bobo close Mataima where they allegedly met with the Spain ambassador among others and he submitted applications for visas for over ten applicants under the same guise of a Honourable House of Representatives member well as the Ministry of Works and Housing Mabushi, Abuja.

He noted that Hassan Sani Jikan Mallam and the other three suspects, however, met their Waterloo while extending their visit to the office of the NSCDC Commandant General under the guise of Honourable Member, Federal House of Representatives, Katsina Central Constituency, where they were arrested and taken into custody.

Babawale said some of the exhibits recovered from Hon. Hassan Sani Jikan Mallam include multiple copies of complimentary cards, which label him as Hon. Member, House of Representatives, Katsina Central Constituency, National Assembly FCT, Abuja. Multiple copies of letterhead papers labelled “National Assembly of Nigeria,” which have been used illegally in writing official letters to embassies and other top government agencies; Official dispatch envelopes labelled “National Assembly of Nigeria,” while further documents included signed copies of letters addressed to the Ambassadors of Spain, France, the Netherlands, China, and others, were addressed to the Federal Inland Revenue and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s Human Resources, respectively, with some pictures with acclaimed ambassadors of Spain and Romania.

The spokesman revealed that in an interview with the Commandant, Special Intelligence Squad (SIS), Commandant Apollo Dandaura, he hinted that though the incident is still under investigation, all the suspects had confessed to their various levels of involvement in the crime, and at the end, diligent prosecution would be made out at the court of competent jurisdiction to serve as a deterrent to other criminal-minded persons with such intentions.

He also advised the general public to be very vigilant in dealing with people so as not to fall victim in the hands of impostors and to report to relevant security agencies any suspicious individuals.

NSCDC Arrests Fake Member of House of Rep, and His Criminal Gang