Seventy-two-year-old veteran journalist and a
self-acclaimed human rights activist, Pa Ahmed Adoke, said he had yet to fully
understand why he was in custody, when he was paraded alongside 45 others on
charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and cattle rustling.
Adoke, who is related to a former Minister of
Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, was paraded
with the others by the police in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital on Monday. But
he continues to maintain his innocence as his family said he was on his own.
Even though the police did not allow journalists
to interview the suspect, the septuagenarian kept shouting that he was not
guilty of the allegations preferred against him by the police.
He kept shouting on top of his voice that his
arrest was politically motivated. According to him, the police only invited him
to come and clarify some petitions written against him. He added that it was
surprising that he was being detained and paraded as a criminal.
“I am not guilty of the offences the police
alleged that I committed. The police only came to search my house following a
petition and found nothing. I am surprised that I am being paraded this way. I
am innocent, I am innocent. I did not commit any crime,” he shouted.
Alhaji Bello Adoke, who is the father of the
former Minister of Justice, confirmed to journalists later in a media briefing
that the suspect was a member of the Adoke family.
He explained that the man in custody is a cousin
of his son (former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke), but added that his
arrest had nothing to do with the family.
He said that the suspect acted on his own and
that whatever happened to him should not be linked to the family.
While parading the 45 suspects, the Force Police
Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, in company with top police
officers from the state, said the police arrested Adoke aka Buruja, John Sule
(40), Adoke Jimoh (25) and Suberu Amina aka Devil (53) and other suspects for
suspected armed robbery and kidnapping.
He named the other suspects as Isiyaku Bello aka
Mentor (37), Ekundayo Daniel aka Ekun (40), OjoRaji (22),Audu George aka Doctor
(23), Sunday Omouyaaka aka Major (20) and Godwin Isah aka White Lion (32).
He claimed that the suspects had made useful
statements and confessed to their involvement in several robberies and
kidnapping, adding that investigation was still in progress.
Ojukwu said, “Intelligence reports and useful
information from good citizens led to the arrest of the suspects known to have
been fingered severally in armed robbery and kidnapping cases. Indeed all the
suspects are on police wanted list.”
The FPRO recalled that following the upsurge in
activities of armed bandits, kidnappers, miscreants and hoodlums along the
Auchi-Okenne-Lokoja, Ajaokuta-Lokoja and Kabba-Obojana highways, the
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, directed the Special Anti-Crime
Task, led by Mr. Chris Ezike of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad to
relocate to Kogi State and quickly address the situation.
He added that consequently, the team arrived
Lokoja on May 27, 2015 and was supported by a strong force of 300 personnel of
the Police Mobile Force drawn from across Nigeria and reinforced by others from
the Kogi State Police Command.
According to him, the IGP charged the Task Force
to assess the crime situation in the state and quickly design a template to
contain the surge and to identify all criminal syndicates, their leaders, foot
soldiers and sponsors and arrest them with operational precision.
He said the team was mandated to carry out
sporadic raids of the suspects’ bases and recover arms, ammunition, dangerous
weapons, charms and all other items/properties reasonably suspected to be
proceeds of crime.
Ojukwu said, “I am pleased to inform you that
barely three weeks into this operation, which has been prosecuted with vigour,
dedication, utmost professionalism and passion, tremendous results have been
recorded.
“The team arrested armed robbery and kidnapping
suspects and recovered one AK47 rifle with serial number BA 360834 with 13
rounds of live ammunition,” he said.
According to him, on June 13, at about 2am,
operatives of the team who were acting on a tip-off, arrested Isa Omouyoaka aka
Cat or Sunday Moscow (36), of Ihimo in the Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi
State.
He added that a search on the suspect’s home led
to the recovery of the AK47 rifle and 13 rounds of live ammunition, one single
barrel gun with two rounds of live ammunition and three automated teller
machines cards of different banks.
The FPRO said further investigation revealed that
the recovered AK47 was snatched from Corporal Apogu Dzokwo, who was shot dead
on May 18 2015 at about 11.30am along the Ayere/Ajowa Road in IjimuLocal
Government Area of Kogi State.
According to him, the deceased policeman was on
an escort duty with an expatriate engineer, Mr. Karunadosa Dorawaka of Boroni
Prono Construction Company Limited, who was equally kidnapped by the alleged
armed hoodlums.
Ojukwu said, “The suspect has admitted to the
crime and named his criminal gang including Salami Abdulazeez aka Target. He
has equally admitted to several other armed robberies and kidnappings
along the Okene-Lokoja Highway and Kabba Road. Part of the ransom
he received has also been traced to one of his wives’ bank accounts.
“The
suspect further revealed that they got their arms and ammunition from Idris
Shaibu and Eneji Obeito aka Diligent, who are both from Ihima in Okehi Local
Government Area of the state.”
Meanwhile, Ojukwu said at about 1.20pm on June
10, 2015, along the Eika Road by Itakpe Junction, a special team on ‘stop and
search’ duty also intercepted a Toyota Corolla Saloon car, 2013 model, driven
by one Mr. Sule Eneji aka ‘Landlord’ (42) with registration number Sokoto AL
304 SKK.
According to him on close examination, the
vehicle had another registration number, Lagos LSR 569 CM engraved on the
bumper, grill and head lamps.
Investigation revealed that the vehicle was
snatched at gunpoint two days earlier at about 7.25pm in Minna, Niger State
from Mr. Linus Sunday, a staff of FrieslandCampina WAPCO Nigeria Plc.
The FPRO stated that further investigation led to
the arrest of other members of the gang.
Ojukwu said, “The gang members are Sadiq Usman
(27), Jimoh Idris (45), Johnson Abraham (55, blacksmith and gun manufacturer);
Yekini Ibrahim (41) and Karim Saliu (66).
“Similarly, the following vehicles and other
exhibits have been recovered from robbers: Honda Accord with registration
number RV 982 KJA; Mazda 323 saloon car with registration number YAB 209 DY;
Kia Sportage Jeep with registration number AE 498 DTM; ML 450 Mercedez Benz SUV
with registration number KJA 866 AA; Honda Accord with registration number CX
487 ABJ and Honda Accord with registration number KAB 316 AA.
“Other exhibits include one cut to size locally
made double barrel gun; one wooden butt gun; one muzzle pipe gun; four cartons
of three-phase prepaid metre with box; nine hexing mamas metres; one MOJEC
metre box (empty) and gun manufacturing equipment/accessories.”
The FPRO said the police team also arrested five
suspects for armed robbery and cattle rustling.
He also said the police team rearrested a
kidnapping suspect who allegedly escaped from KotonKarfe Prisons and was
involved in armed robberies.
“He was said to have been operating with his
co-escapees responsible for the upsurge in criminal activities in Kogi State in
recent times.”
The FPRO said that at about 9.30am, on June 15,
2015,operatives on stop and search duties along Okpella-Okene Highway stopped a
commuter bus with registration number AA 802 KKH for routine search.
He stated that the search revealed a sack in
which some exhibits were discovered neatly concealed in the vehicle.
According to him, the exhibits are two locally
made double barrel guns dismantled into parts; two locally made single barrel
guns dismantled in parts; four cutlasses; three sharp knives, 50 rounds of live
cartridges, five flashlights and other items.
He said that the IGP was excited that crime rate
in the state was on the decline, adding that the task force would improve on
intelligence analysis to rescue a kidnapped judge of the Kogi State High Court,
who was still in captivity.
Source:Punch
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