Crime
IIP-SARS AWARDS N431, 884,094m COMPENSATION TO 100 VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALITY

IIP-SARS AWARDS N431, 884,094m COMPENSATION TO 100 VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALITY
By: Michael Mike
The Independent Investigative Panel on human rights violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, and other Units of the Nigeria Police Force (IIP-SARS), sitting in Abuja, has awarded compensations to 100 victims of police brutality, to the tune of about N431, 884,094 million.
The Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Governing Council Dr. Salamatu Hussaini Sulaiman disclosed that the panel heard a total of 294 cases out of which decisions were made on 292. She made this disclosure during the symbolic presentation of cheques to the families and victims of police brutality at the Headquarters of the (NHRC) in Abuja.
She used the opportunity of the award ceremony to express the Council’s appreciation to Nigerians who trusted the Commission by filing petitions to the IIP-SARS, adding that the act shows their belief in the human rights mechanisms of Nigeria
The NHRC chairperson further stated that “as an independent National Human Rights Institution, the Commission will continue to exercise its mandate to promote and protect the human rights of every Nigerian, using various constituted mechanisms under the National Human Rights Commission Act (as amended)”.
She assured that “the Commission will work towards putting in place a permanent mechanism through which we will address cases of police brutality and other associated human rights violations arising from law enforcement and security operations”.
The Panel Chairman, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Suleiman Galadima (CFR), who brought his wealth of experience to bear throughout the panel sitting, expressed appreciation to all who made the IIP-SARS a success.
While urging state governments with similar panels to harmonize their report for appropriate actions, Justice Galadima rtd. advised them to set aside funds for the panels to carry out their functions.
The Executive Secretary of the NHRC who believes that there cannot be impunity in Nigeria forever expressed delight that the Commission was able to get justice for victims of police brutality.
Also Read: ISWAP Kills 8 Boko Haram in a rival clash in Borno
He thanked the Buhari-led administration for making funds available for payment of compensation saying “the Commission laboured day and night to ensure that there is some sort of closure for the victims and their families”.
Stressing the need for accountability for human rights violations, the learned silk said, “The ceremony today is to tell you that we have acknowledged the violation of your rights and we are putting this forward in good faith to say we are sorry”.
“The amount paid today will not solve all the problems but to ensure that where there is a violation of rights, there must be a remedy.”
“This is a clear indication that we should not take the laws into our hands. The course of Justice may be slow, but surely we will get there and what happened today is an indication that Nigeria will be better” he affirmed.
Secretary of the panel and the Senior Human Rights Adviser to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Hillary Ogbonna, disclosed that allegations in the petitions that were determined, bordered on extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, cruel inhuman and degrading treatment by police officers, prolonged detention, abuse of power, as well as non-payment of judgment debts.
He lamented that some of the victims died before the panel could conclude its investigations that spanned for a period of two years.
“It is quite unfortunate that some of the petitioners are no more. Some of them died within the last eight months”. He said, ” We are making arrangements with their families and lawyers to ensure that they receive their compensations”.
On what happens to the indicted police officers, the Panel Secretary has this to say: “some of you may be wondering, what about the police personnel who perpetrated these violations? The panel has also made recommendations on what should be done to some indicted police officers. The report will soon be submitted to the appropriate authorities”.
IIP-SARS AWARDS N431, 884,094m COMPENSATION TO 100 VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALITY
Crime
75-year-old Grandpa Arrested as NDLEA Destroys 178,000kg skunk in Taraba Forest

75-year-old Grandpa Arrested as NDLEA Destroys 178,000kg skunk in Taraba Forest
By: Michael Mike
A 75-year-old grandpa Uchelue Ikechukwu was among six suspects arrested with illicit substances in raids by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in parts of Anambra state just as 30-year-old Alfa Andrew was taken into custody following the destruction of 178,750 kilogrammes of skunk on his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna local council area of Taraba state.
The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said while Uchelue was nabbed at Umudioka, Dunukofia local government area of Anambra with 26.7 kilogrammes skunk last Thursday, Eneh Makuo; Emmanuel Chiemeli; Uwakwe Matthew; Chukwujekwu Ehirim; Ifeanyichukwu Olisa and Odoh Chukwuma, were arrested with various quantities of opioids and skunk at Nkwelle and Amichi areas of the state.

Babafemi said in his case, Andrew was arrested with a Dane gun last Tuesday when NDLEA operatives supported by personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard and Vigilante, stormed his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm located at Mayodoga forest, Mayosabere ward in Sardauna local government area, Taraba State, where they destroyed 178,750 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
He said no fewer than 104,900 capsules of tramadol concealed in the driver compartment of a fuel tanker, suspected to be an illicit consignment going to insurgents in parts of Borno state, were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Abuja/Kaduna tollgate in Kaduna last Friday while a suspect Hassan Buba was immediately taken into custody.
He added that another suspect Kabir Sulaiman, 45, was nabbed with 34.150 kilogrammes skunk by NDLEA officers at Gwargwaje – Zaria check point on Saturday.

Babafemi said following intelligence and surveillance, NDLEA operatives in an interdiction operation on Saturday arrested a major supplier of illicit opioids in Borno state, 33-year-old Uchenna Umeh shortly after he received his supplies from Onitsha, Anambra state and recovered from his apartment at Chescon, Pompomari area of Maiduguri include 30,640 pills of tramadol 225mg; 7,940 tablets of rohypnol and a cash of N7,999,200.00 only in N200 new notes.
In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives last Thursday arrested a suspect Abubakar Dauda, 36, with 79,040 pills of tramadol and diazepam at Abacha park, Mararaba Karu. This followed the arrest of Babangida Tungura, 47, in Lafia, with 30,410 pills of tramadol and Rohypnol as well as 38 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup concealed in a deep freezer from Asaba, Delta state last Tuesday.
A 23-year-old suspect Mohammed Ali was last Wednesday arrested in a follow up operation at Ngorore, Adamawa State following the interception of his way billed consignment of 15,000 capsules of tramadol concealed in sacks of animal feed at the Gombe mega park.
In Kano, the duo of Ashiru Garba, 20, and Aminu Abdu, 22, were arrested last Tuesday along Kano-Hadeja road, with 1.5 kilogrammes skunk and 25,000 pills of exol-5 while two other suspects: Ali Muhammad, 37, and Muhammad Maishanu, 42, were nabbed by NDLEA officers last Thursday along Zaria-Kano road, Gadan Tamburawa, with 8,080 bottles of a New Psychoactive Substance and 25.7 kilogrammes skunk in their possession.
No fewer than 250,000 tablets of exol-5 were seized from a suspect Alhasaan Musa, 25, in Zango area, Ungogo local government area, Kano state by NDLEA operatives on Saturday.
A suspect Hamisu Abdullahi was last Monday arrested in a follow up operation in Yola, Adamawa state after NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mararraba Lamurde intercepted a golf saloon car marked GME 253 HP driven by Sani Suleiman and coming from Gombe state loaded with sacks of pepper, used to conceal 79 blocks of skunk weighing 58 kilogrammes belonging to Hamisu.
In Edo state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Ewu-Auchi road, Etsako West local government area intercepted 64,250 pills of opioids mainly tramadol in a commercial bus coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and going to Okene, Kogi state, while a suspect Mohammed Halidu, 36, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
Two suspects: Elves Odogwu, 45, and David Jeremiah, 35, were arrested last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives raided Queen Elizabeth, Aponmun Reserved Camp, Ondo in Ondo state where 117.5 kilogrammes processed cannabis and seeds were recovered from them. A total of 164 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from the base of a suspect Michael Ayodele in Mushin area of Lagos where he was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Saturday.
In what appears to be the single largest seizure of Loud and Colorado, two strong strains of cannabis, in Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence last Friday raided Nova street, behind New Creation School, Ado-Ekiti where 5.3 kilogrammes of Loud and Colorado as well as 2.5 grammes of Methamphetamine were seized from a 42-year-old drug kingpin Ajayi Ayodeji Idowu (a.k.a Atiku).
Across the country, NDLEA commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo, and Edo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.
75-year-old Grandpa Arrested as NDLEA Destroys 178,000kg skunk in Taraba Forest
Crime
Gunmen kill one, abduct two women in Kano

Gunmen kill one, abduct two women in Kano
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed men have killed one person and abducted two women in Kwanar Dangora community, Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State.
Zagazola Makama report that the attack occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on Friday when the hoodlums, in large numbers and armed with dangerous weapons, invaded the residence of one Alhaji Ibrahim at Kwanar Dangora.
According to sources, the assailants abducted the two wives of the victim, identified as Safara’u Ibrahim and Attine Ibrahim.
“In the process, one Abdul Usman, 27, of the same address, was shot dead by the attackers.
“Scene of the incident was visited, the corpse was released to his relatives for burial.
“Investigation has commenced and efforts are being intensified to rescue the victims unhurt, trace and arrest the culprits,”said sources.
Gunmen kill one, abduct two women in Kano
Crime
Police investigate alleged rape of UNILAG student by lecturer

Police investigate alleged rape of UNILAG student by lecturer
By: Zagazola Makama
The police in Lagos have commenced investigation into the alleged rape of a 20-year-old female student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, by a lecturer in the institution.
Sources said the survivor, identified as Owonifari Fiyinfoluwa, a 300-level student of the university, reported the matter to the police on Aug. 28.
“She alleged that on Aug. 22, at about 12 noon, her lecturer, Dr. Samuel Ojogbo, invited her into his office at the university and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.
“A team of detectives visited the scene and the survivor was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment,” said the sources
The sources added that investigation into the case was ongoing.
Police investigate alleged rape of UNILAG student by lecturer
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