Delta State Police Command has shot dead a suspected armed robber and arrested six others.
The police also recovered arms, ammunition and the loot from the suspects.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Celestina Kalu, said a patrol team from ‘B’ Division, Asaba and members of the town’s vigilance group were tipped off that some armed men attacked occupants of Port Gold Iyiabi Street.
Kalu said security teams engaged the robbers in a shot-out, one of the suspected robbers was shot dead while others escaped with injuries.
She said, “items recovered from the hoodlums were two locally-made pistols and 10 expended cartridges. We are making effort to apprehend the fleeing suspects while investigation is on going.
Kalu said operatives at Agbor Division, also received a distress call that hoodlums were operating along Owanta Street by Alisimiya, Boji-Boji.
A patrol team mobilized to the scene and arrested one of the suspected robbers, while the other escaped into the bush where another suspect, one Ojieh, was arrested.
“Items recovered from them were one locally-made gun with one live cartridge, two Lifan motorcycles without registration numbers.”
According to her, in another development, following information that one Godspower of Okwagbe in Ughelli South was seen with a suspected stolen tricycle with Reg. No. AYB 957 QC and detectives from the Otu-Jeremi Division arrested him.
She said during interrogation, the suspect disclosed that he bought the said tricycle from Tuarede from Nokara, Burutu L.G.A.
The police later met Tuarede at Okwagbe with another tricycle, marked BKW 129 QB he was arrested. She said the suspect later confessed that he stole the tricycles from Oghara and Warri.
“Items recovered from him included two tricycles with registration number,. AYB 957QC and BKW 129QB respectively.
She said last weekend, policemen from the Ebrumede Division while on stop and search at the PTI Junction, Effurun, intercepted a Toyota Highlander Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) marked KWL 576KA and in it were four occupants.
She said the occupants, confessed that they broke into a house at Okuokoko where they stole the SUV. She said two toy guns, ATM card, one battle axe, and two face masks were recovered from them.
Family seeks FG’s intervention over alleged invasion of land
By LUQMAN OLABIYI
The Sofidiya family of Agbodi Village in Mowe, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State has appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the alleged intimidation and forceful possession of family land by Deeper Christian Life Ministry.
Trouble started about five years ago, when the church approached the Agbodi village for a land. The community asked that the parcel of land be surveyed first before actual negotiation and purchase. A surveyor was brought by the church, which made N10 million deposit payment out of the N50 million requested by the land owners as owo Iwoko or Owo Ilagbe (bush entry money).
After the surveying was completed, the church committee did not get back to the family. Almost three years after and with no response on actual negotiation of the purchase price with the community the family repossessed the land. Thereafter, the Deeper Life now petitioned the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), after investigation by SARS, it was discovered that it was purely a land matter. The church requested for time to settle with landowners as they seemed ready to pay.
The community, through its legal firm, Tunde Popoola & Associates, met with the church’s Land Committee at the Gbagada, Lagos headquarters.
The committee thereafter requested the community to submit a proposal which the latter said it obliged on September 24, 2014. Another proposal was sent on October 2, 2014, following the rejection of the first proposal on the ground that “it did not have a human face.” The second proposal was also rejected by the committee. The third which was submitted on October 15, 2014 was also rejected.
Following “input” from the committee, the fourth proposal was written and submitted on November 27, 2014.
While the issue of submitting the proposal was going on, the family suspecting something unbecoming by the committee, took the ministry to court on September 16, 2014. The matter is currently pending before Ogun State High Court in suit No. AB/246/14. (Olubunmi Esuruoso and five ords v. the Incorporated Trustees of Deeper Christain Life Ministry)
Meanwhile, following another fresh petition by the ministry to the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG), Force Headquarters, Abuja, some policemen from Abuja arrested family members and other villagers on Friday, March 6, 2015. The following day, soldiers, policemen, Vigilante Service personnel among other uniform men and one land agent, Romeo, with his men fully armed, invaded the land allegedly on behalf of the church.
On Monday, March 9, 2015 the landowners reported the matter again to the Federal SARS and the Deeper Life team was asked to sign an undertaking that it would maintain the status quo which it allegedly signed. But the church allegedly refused to abide by the undertaking and consequently refused to appear before Federal SARS again as agreed upon.
Also, this action infuriated the community, a petition was sent to the Chief of Army Staff, copies were sent to the GOC, 81 Division Headquarters, Nigeria Army, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos and the Brigade commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala Barracks, Abeokuta.
Following these petitions, soldiers occupying the land were arrested by military policemen.
“Rather than defending the matter in court, Deeper Life had allegedly chosen to employ the service of a land agent to invade the community with his hoodlums armed with sophisticated weapons with the active connivance of soldiers and caused total breach of law and order. The villagers have been sent on compulsory exile as their lives are under serious threats.
As at press time, naval officers brought allegedly hired by the church are still occupying the land.
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