Crime & Court
Police arrest dismissed cop declared wanted for Offa robbery
Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team have arrested one of the four robbery suspects declared wanted for attacks on banks in Offa, Kwara State.
The suspect, Michael Adikwu, an ex-policeman, was said to have been dismissed in 2012 by the Kwara State Police Command for allegedly aiding the escape of some robbery suspects.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Adikwu, until his dismissal, was attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the state command.
Adikwu was said to have been arraigned in court and remanded in a prison, where he spent three years before he found his way out and formed a robbery gang with others.
He was reportedly arrested on Tuesday in a town in Kwara State by the DCP Abba Kyari-led IRT operatives, who acted on a tip-off from members of the public who saw Adikwu’s picture among those declared wanted.
A robbery gang had stormed some banks in Offa on April 5 and killed scores of people, including nine policemen.
They reportedly carted away millions of naira during the operation which lasted for about an hour.
Although the state Commissioner of Police, Ado Lawan, put the number of fatalities at 17, the Operations Commander, Vigilance Group of Nigeria, Offa, Kwara State chapter, Wasiu Adepoju, said his men counted 50 corpses.
Leaked Closed Circuit Television footage of the incident revealed when the robbers blew up a security post of one of the banks as they intermittently brought out bags suspected to be containing money out of the premises.
While about 20 suspects were said to have been arrested, the Kwara State Government placed a bounty of N5m on the other fleeing robbers.
In a statement on Friday, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Jimoh Moshood, released the pictures of four members of the gang captured in the CCTV footage and declared them wanted.
Moshood stated that the assailants were being monitored by the International Police and would soon be apprehended.
A senior police officer disclosed to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday that one of the wanted robbers was tracked down on Tuesday.
The source said the arrested suspect, Odikwu, was a police corporal and was dismissed from the Force in 2012 after his alleged involvement in the escape of some robbery suspects.
The source said, “He (Adikwu) was a SARS operative at the Kwara State Police Command. He used to fraternise with robbers. There was a robbery that happened in Kwara State about six years ago. The robbers killed somebody and escaped. The police were able to arrest those robbers.
“He collected money from those robbery suspects and released them. Later, the robbers were rearrested and they confessed that he aided their escape. He was arrested, tried in an orderly room trial and dismissed.
“He was charged to court together with the robbery suspects and was in prison for three years. He and some of the robbers were able to manoeuvre their way out of the prison and formed a robbery gang.”
Another source said a team of detectives got a lead that Adikwu was staying in a hideout in the state and swooped on him.
“The lead was given to the police by an informant. His hideout was cordoned off and he was arrested. He was apprehended by the IRT operatives in a community in Kwara State,” the source added.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State Command, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, said arrests had been made, but he had yet to receive information on Adikwu’s arrest.
He said, “What I know is that the IRT team and the command are investigating the matter and have been making arrests. The Force PRO will come out with other information at the right time.”
The FPRO, Moshood, could not be reached for comment as calls to his line rang out.
He had also yet to reply to a text message sent to his telephone as of press time.
A Magistrate Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has granted human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, bail to the tune of ₦30 million. The court also mandated Farotimi to provide three sureties with landed properties within its jurisdiction.
As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered Farotimi to refrain from granting media interviews and to submit his international passport to the authorities. The case has been adjourned to February 13, 2025, for further proceedings.
Farotimi, who had been remanded at a correctional center in Ado Ekiti, arrived at the court premises on Friday at approximately 9:45 a.m. He was conveyed in a prison van accompanied by a police escort. Upon arrival, the embattled lawyer raised his hands in appreciation of a cheering crowd that had gathered outside the court to show their solidarity.
The human rights advocate is facing prosecution for allegedly defaming a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Afe Babalola. His arrest has ignited widespread public outcry, with many Nigerians and civil society groups condemning the action and demanding his immediate release.
Farotimi’s detention and subsequent arraignment have fueled debates about the boundaries of free speech and defamation laws in Nigeria, with critics arguing that the case may stifle dissenting voices in the country.
Police operatives have apprehended a 25-year-old man, Enediong Bassey, in possession of a pump-action gun concealed in a bag of rice at Nkwelle-Ezunaka.
The suspect, a native of Ikono Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, was arrested on November 22, 2024, at 6:38 pm following credible intelligence.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga.
The statement revealed that officers attached to the 3-3 Divisional Headquarters, led by CSP Emeka Obi, acted swiftly to intercept Bassey.
During interrogation, he admitted to being a member of a local vigilante group but confessed to plans of absconding with the weapon to join a criminal gang involved in armed robbery and other illicit activities.
“Given the above and following other complaints and unprofessional conduct by some security outfits and vigilante members, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, in line with the principles of community policing, reiterates the calls for profiling of security operatives assisting the police and other security agencies on anti-crime operations to improve safety in the state,” the statement read.
In light of the situation, the Commissioner of Police has directed the immediate transfer of the suspect to the command’s anti-robbery squad for a thorough investigation.
The Anambra State Police Command reassured residents of its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property, urging vigilance and collaboration with law enforcement.
Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an accelerated trial of four bloggers accused of defaming and cyberstalking the management of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), including its Group CEO, Mr. Segun Agbaje.
The defendants—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—face a 10-count amended charge for allegedly publishing false and defamatory content about GTCO on various social media platforms.
During proceedings on November 13 and 14, Justice Faji dismissed their bail applications, citing the severity of the charges, which carry potential penalties of up to 14 years in prison.
The judge specifically noted that Precious Eze had previously been charged with a similar offense in another court and was on bail at the time of the alleged actions, demonstrating a likelihood of reoffending.
Justice Faji emphasized the destabilizing impact such actions could have on the banking sector, pointing to the cross-border nature of some of the allegations.
“The regulatory oversight of institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should not be undermined by false claims,” the judge remarked, referencing GTCO’s CBN-approved audited statements.
At the previous hearing, defense counsel Afolabi Adeniyi had urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, arguing that the defendants were ready to stand trial.
However, the prosecution counsel, Chief Aribisala, SAN, opposed the motion, raising concerns about the defendants potentially absconding and stressing the need for a swift trial.
In his ruling, Justice Faji rejected the defense’s plea, ordering an expedited trial to address the case’s significant implications for the financial industry.
The trial has been adjourned to December 10 and 12 for continuation.
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