News

Police Arrest Four Soldiers, Others Over Truck Hijacking, Stealing In Rivers

Published

1 year ago

May 28, 2024

Editor

The Police Command in Rivers has arrested a 13-member criminal gang that specialises in hijacking articulated vehicles carrying goods.

The suspects include four Nigerian Army personnel, an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and eight civilians.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said in a statement in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that the suspects had been implicated in several armed robbery attacks in the state.

She said that the command first received reports of the gang’s activities on March 4.

“The command received a distress call around 11 p.m. regarding burglars attempting to vandalise warehouses in Elimbgu community, Rivers.

“Upon receiving the call, the command promptly mobilised to the scene and arrested five suspects who had been severely beaten by a mob.

“The injured suspects were immediately taken to the police hospital, and thereafter, investigation began,” she said.

Iringe-Koko mentioned that in the course of investigation, it was discovered that one of the suspects, West Isaac (08NA/61/2653), was a Corporal in the Nigerian Army serving in Delta.

She said that another suspect named Jabila Kammangar, with the nickname Kaka, was also identified as an NSCDC officer serving in Kabba, Kogi.

“Both the soldier and NSCDC officer confessed to abandoning their posts to partake in criminal activities in Rivers,” she added.

The police officer further said that West, a 36-year-old father of four, joined the army in 2008 and was assigned to the 3 Battalion, Warri.

She said that investigation revealed that West sought and was granted sick leave but overstayed it about one month before his arrest.

“West told investigators that he met Kammangar while serving in the army’s anti-bunkering unit and that they have been engaging in various unlawful acts.

“He mentioned that he travelled to Port Harcourt at Kammangar’s request for the warehouse raid that led to their apprehension.

“Further probing revealed that West and Kammangar were part of a larger criminal network specialising in armed robbery, hijacking, and diversion of goods,” she said.

Iringe-Koko alleged that West confessed to police officers that the criminal syndicate included other army personnel.

According to her, the gang also collaborates with a network of informants who supply them with details about the schedules of truck-bearing goods.

She said that the suspects, who always dressed in full military gear during operations, used intelligence from their informants to locate the movement of target trucks.

“They will intercept the truck with their Toyota Hilux van, beat, and intimidate the drivers before diverting the trucks to already waiting receivers,” she said.

Iringe-Koko said that three other army personnel, Abdul Musa (13 NA/70/10545), Mgbe Jeoffrey (16 NA/75/6896), and Innocent Okwoli (12 NA/68/6552), were apprehended following West’s revelations.

She said that the four soldiers had been dismissed by the Nigerian Army and handed over to the police for further inquiry and legal action.

The police spokesperson further said that eight civilian collaborators of the gang were arrested in the process.

She said that a man identified as Okwoli, stationed at Intel Logistics, Onne, Rivers, was identified as the gang’s key coordinator.

The police image maker said that Okwoli and his associates successfully hijacked a trailer carrying fertilisers valued at N25 million, belonging to Alhaji Sadiq Adams, on Feb. 17.

“In February 2024, the group intercepted and diverted a 40-foot container loaded with imported clothing from China, while on March 4, they attempted to burgle warehouses belonging to Emmanuel Nwagwu and Ndifreke Ekanem.

“In February, the gang commandeered a truck transporting POP cement, but the police was able to recover the goods.

“We are also making efforts to retrieve a trailer load of fertiliser from their accomplices. The white Toyota Hilux used in their operations has been recovered from the NSCDC officer,” she disclosed.

She said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, commended the military for their cooperation and affirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring effective prosecution.

(NAN)

News

EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

Published

12 minutes ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami.

The agency has ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official EFCC property, including an identity card, following his dismissal for certificate forgery.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on its official X handle on Monday, said Folarin served as a driver at the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate.

He was, however, dismissed after investigations confirmed he had forged his academic credentials.

It said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, condemned in the strongest terms, the involvement of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, in a matchmaking programme running on Lege Miami social media platforms.”

“Folarin was recently dismissed from the Commission for certificate forgery. He was a driver at the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.”

The statement said EFCC Executive Chairma,n Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered Folarin to be arrested and emphasised that Folarin’s actions should not be associated with the commission.

“The Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered his arrest for being in possession of some Commission’s properties, including an identity card, which he should have handed over upon being dismissed from the EFCC.

“The public is advised against associating Folarin’s post-dismissal conduct with the EFCC,” the statement concluded.

News

NERC Transfers Regulation Of Electricity Market To Bayelsa

Published

28 minutes ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said this was in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

The Act also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025.

“The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026.

With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo and Plateau, which have got the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain.

News

Things To Know As INEC Begins Physical Voter Registration Monday

Published

31 minutes ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission commenced the physical, in-person phase of its 2025 Continuous Voter Registration exercise across Nigeria today, Monday, August 25.

This follows the online pre-registration that commenced on August 18, 2025.

In an update on its X handle on Monday, the commission provided details of the schedule, locations, and eligibility of voters.

INEC said in-person registration will run Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, and urged eligible Nigerians to complete their registration at INEC state or local government offices in their area.

The commission said those eligible to register or update their details include:

New voters aged 18 and above who have not registered before.

Holders needing to replace lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Voters seeking to transfer their registration to a new location.

People who need to update or correct their voter information (name, address, etc.).

The electoral umpire asked registrants who completed online pre-registration to proceed to their INEC State Head Office or LGA office to finalise the process.

The commission also published a list of registration centres on its official portal.