Metro

Police Arrest Gunmen In Bayelsa Community, Recover Arms

Published

2 years ago

August 14, 2023

Photo: file copy

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Strike Force who were deployed to Nembe Bassambiri community in Bayelsa State, have arrested eight suspected gunmen and recovered several calibres of arms and ammunition.

Those arrested are Gift Vanman, Daniel Solomon, Ishmael Teknikio aka Moore, Rufus Itario, Joel Jubilee, Sylvanus Alatari, Sounpre Solomon, and Ayebanate Talbot (POS); while three AK-47 rifles, two pump action guns, one LAR rifle, one jack-knife, one dagger, magazines, 104 rounds of live ammunition of various calibres, two POS machines, 10 ATM cards, and one rechargeable bulb were recovered from them.

This followed the receipt of a petition from a law firm on the activities of some hoodlums armed with guns and other dangerous weapons; who were constantly terrorizing members of Nembe Bassambiri community in Bayelsa, and coupled with other similar complaints and intelligence in the region, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumiyiwa Adejobi said in a late Monday night correspondence obtained by our correspondent.

“Consequently, the operatives swung into action and raided the camps of the hoodlums in and around the Nembe Bassambiri Community on the eve of Saturday, August 12, 2023.

“The operation led to the arrest of eight suspects including Gift Vanman, Daniel Solomon, Ishmael Teknikio aka Moore, Rufus Itario, Joel Jubilee, Sylvanus Alatari, Sounpre Solomon, and Ayebanate Talbot (POS). Items recovered include three AK-47 rifles, two pump action guns, one LAR rifle, one jack-knife, one dagger, magazines, 104 rounds of live ammunition of various calibres, two POS machines, 10 ATM cards, and one rechargeable bulb,” Adejobi said.

The Force Headquarters, however, said the suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations; while the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun reiterated that the operation in Nembe is a signal to other hoodlums with similar intents of causing fear amongst the people with their activities across the country to turn a new leaf or be assured that the long and unbiased arm of the law will catch up with them in no distant time.

Meanwhile, contrary to some narrative in the news making the rounds that the community was attacked by hoodlums dressed in police uniforms, the Force Headquarters said the report was the handiwork of mischief makers, while warning against “such calculated attempts to destabilize the country.”

Adejobi added, “The police wishes to state in clear terms that the operation was carried out by a combined team of police operatives to sanitise the community, and the officers were professional, neutral, and proactive in the mission to liberate members of the community from the terror instilled by the nefarious activities of the armed hoodlums as the Force will not allow lawlessness or gross violations of the laws in any part of the country.

“It is also pertinent to send out a warning to all recalcitrant members of the society whose stock-in-trade is instilling fear into law-abiding members of the public and fomenting troubles across the country, to desist from such as the police will leave no stone unturned in the bid to rid our societies of hooliganism, terrorism, and gross violation of extant laws.

“The Nigeria Police Force hereby reassures Nigerians of the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to attend to security issues affecting them by acting promptly on intelligence to curb such acts in any part of the country. Similarly, the police assures the confidentiality of reliable informants while urging members of the public to partner with the police and other security agencies with prompt and actionable intelligence on the activities of members of the underworld, and criminally-minded individuals, who foment troubles, commit crimes, and cause instability.”

Metro

JUST IN: Navy Officer Who Had Altercation With Wike Reportedly Escapes Assassination Attempt

Published

18 minutes ago

November 16, 2025

Editor

A young Nigerian Navy officer, Lt. A.M. Yarima, who recently had a confrontation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reportedly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday evening.

Military sources told Vanguard that Yarima was trailed by unidentified men dressed in black and riding in two unmarked Hilux vans with no number plates. The vehicles allegedly followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Line Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.

According to the source, the officer noticed the surveillance and executed a “strategic maneuver,” successfully evading the suspected assailants. The incident reportedly occurred around 6:30 p.m.

The source added that the matter is under investigation and is receiving “the seriousness it deserves,” noting that further details are being withheld so as not to compromise the process.

The development comes days after Lt. Yarima, while on duty with other security personnel, engaged in a tense confrontation with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over a disputed land site in Gaduwa District. The clash, captured on video, sparked widespread public debate and prompted intervention from the Presidency, which subsequently halted the demolition exercise at the site.

Following the incident, military veterans nationwide criticised Wike for verbally insulting the officer and rejected calls for disciplinary action against Yarima.

Spokesman for the Coalition of Retired Veterans, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, warned that ex-service members would “occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister” if the officer faced any punishment.

He stressed that military personnel owe allegiance to Nigeria—not individual public officials—and insisted that Wike must apologise for his remarks.

“How can a public office holder call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera?” he queried, adding that such conduct undermines national institutions and demeans the dignity of public office.

Meanwhile, Minister of Defence Mohammad Badaru Abubakar has assured that no military personnel acting lawfully will be sanctioned over the altercation.

“We will always protect officers and our armed forces personnel on lawful duty,” Badaru said during a ministerial briefing for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebrations at the National Defence College.

“Any officer on lawful duty will be protected if he is doing his job lawfully and doing it well.”

Veterans had earlier vowed to mobilise and occupy the FCT Ministry if Lt. Yarima faced any form of disciplinary action.

Metro

Delta: Father In Police Net After Sleeping With Daughters For Seven Years

Published

1 hour ago

November 16, 2025

Editor

A 54-year-old father in Asaba, Delta State, Edward Odega, has confessed to defiling his three children.

Odega, who has been arrested by the police, disclosed that he had been sleeping with his children for the past seven years.

In a short interview with our correspondent at the police headquarters in Asaba on Saturday, Odega said, “I have three daughters, and I started sleeping with my first daughter when she was 12 years old.”

He also admitted to sleeping with two others who are 13 and 15, respectively for the same period of time.

The spokesperson for the police, Bright Edafe, said one of Odega’s daughters informed the police about the incident.

He said, “The command has arrested a father who had been defiling his three daughters for the past seven years. The three children are now aged 13, 15, and 24.

“The act was made public after DPO Ogborikoko division CSP Temi Agbede Zuokumor, who went on a school outreach on enlightenment, encountered a child who spoke up, which eventually led to the arrest of the father.”

Edafe said that the three children are currently at the hospital undergoing medical check-ups.

Metro

One Dead, Six Injured In Lagos Bus-tipper Collision

Published

1 hour ago

November 16, 2025

Editor

A road traffic collision in Majidun, near Ogolonto, Lagos, has left one person dead and six others injured after a commercial bus collided with a stationary tipper truck.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said preliminary investigations indicated that the Volkswagen commercial bus, bearing registration number EPE 494 XM, suffered a sudden brake failure while travelling at excessive speed. The driver lost control and struck the tipper truck, which had been parked at the roadside to purchase diesel.

The impact resulted in the immediate death of an adult female passenger. Five female passengers and one male sustained serious injuries and were transported to Benic Special Hospital for medical attention. The body of the deceased was taken to the General Hospital, Ikorodu, for official documentation.

LASTMA operatives reported that the tipper truck driver attempted to flee the scene but was pursued and apprehended. The bus driver was also arrested, and both individuals were handed over to the Ipakodo Police Division for further investigation.

Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager of LASTMA, extended condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the injured passengers a swift recovery. He emphasised the dangers of overspeeding, noting, “Excessive speed drastically impairs a driver’s capacity to respond to sudden mechanical failures or unforeseen hazards, thereby magnifying the risk of catastrophic outcomes.”

Truck assistant crushed
The Guardian reports that a truck assistant was killed late on Wednesday night at the Ogolonto Traffic Light Intersection, near the Ikorodu Roundabout, after slipping beneath the rear wheels of a moving truck he was attempting to stabilise.

According to preliminary investigations, the truck reportedly had faulty brakes. The assistant had alighted from the vehicle to place a wooden plank beneath the tyres when he lost his footing and was run over, dying instantly.

LASTMA’s Special Night Gang Patrol Team, on routine duty along the Ikorodu corridor, witnessed the incident and intervened immediately. The truck driver was taken into custody and handed over to the Ipakodo Police Division, while the body of the deceased was transported to the General Hospital, Ikorodu, for formal deposition.

The agency also removed the truck from the expressway to restore traffic flow and prevent further accidents.

Bakare-Oki, General Manager of LASTMA, described the incident as “highly preventable” and urged truck operators to conduct thorough mechanical inspections, particularly of braking systems, before embarking on journeys. He warned that poor vehicle maintenance not only jeopardises the safety of drivers but also that of other road users.

Bakare-Oki reiterated the Lagos State Government’s commitment to promoting road safety through enforcement, public awareness, and cooperation with relevant security agencies.