Govt frees over 2000 inmates over fear of Covid-19

information from Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on behalf of the Federal Government on Thursday at a World Press Conference announced the amnesty of inmates.

The affected inmates includes: Inmates that are 60 years and above.

Those suffering from ill-health likely to terminate in death.

Convicts serving 3 years and above who have less than 6 months to serve.

Inmate with mental issues.

Inmates with option of fine not exceeding N50,000.

In a symbolic gesture of the amnesty given to the 2,600 inmates across Nigeria, 41 Federal inmates and 29 FCT inmates making a total of 70 inmates who met the above criteria will be released today from the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja.

This amnesty will not apply to inmates sentenced for violent extreme offences such as terrorism, kidnapping, armed banditry, rape, human trafficking, culpable homicide and so on.

The governors of the 36 states under whose jurisdiction most of the inmates were incarcerated will complete the exercise in line with the federal principle.

Police arrest ASP,Sergeant for alleged  extortion
 By Patience Ogbo

Police in Lagos State Police Command said operatives have arrested some of it officials in a viral video allegedly extorting nigerians.
In a statement on Friday signed by Bala Elkana the command spokesperson read
" The attention of the  drawn to a video on social media in which a Lady alleged that her vehicles was impounded by the Divisional Traffic Officer (DTO) Agbowa Division and a female sergeant. She equally accused the officers of extorting money from her. After analysing the video, the officers mentioned were identified by our operatives and arrested. They are Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Adebayo Ojo and Sergeant Adeleke Mojisola. The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu psc has ordered an in depth investigation into the case. While appreciating the courage of the complainant and other well meaning citizens who forwarded the video to our social media page, the Command urged the complainant to take a further step by reporting at the Command Headquarters Ikeja to enable the Command conclude the investigation. The Commissioner of Police has reaffirmed his stance against corrupt practices and impunity. Members of the public will be updated on the outcome of the investigation.

COVID-19 - police arrest  Seventy eight alleged violators
----Over 600 vehicles impounded since the commencement of the lockdown enforcement in Lagos State. P

Police Officers on enforcement of restriction of movements order arrested 78 suspects in various parts of Lagos  for allegedly violating the stay at home directives of Government. The suspects were arrested playing football on major streets and having group exercise in large number, thereby neglecting the principles of social distancing. 

According the a statement by Bala Elkana spokesperson lagos state police command read that the suspects were arraigned in Chief Magistrate Court Yaba on one count charge of violating the social distancing directives of Lagos State Government contrary to Regulation 8(1)( a) &(b) and 17(1)(i) of Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency prevention) Regulation 2020. It is an offence punishable under Section 58 Public Health Law Cap P16 Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
3. Seventy  three of the suspects pleaded guilty to the charge while 3 pleaded not guilty. The Court ordered that all the suspects should be kept in Government Isolation Centres for 14 days and thereafter serve one month community service. The three suspects who pleaded not guilty will after observing the 14 days isolation, be brought to Court for trial.
4. The suspects were arrested along Bush street, Gbagada expressway, Ogudu, Iyana Iba, Ojo road, Ebute Metta, Asimowu street Itire and Ajegunle. They include: Meeks John 29 years old, Kingsley Jacob 28 years old, Anthony Fashanu 28 years old, Chukwuma Okwubaba 28 years old, Luke Eboro 43 years old, Kenneth Obasuyi 64 years old, Julius Joel 41 years old, Victor Tamund 38 years old, Egbo Nnamdi 40 years old, Fortune Sunday 26 years old, Faith Omoefe 24 years old, Abdulsalam Ahmed 27 years old, Rabiu Aslam 20 years old, Phil Omoefe 32 years old, Adetutu Adurogbanpa 30 years old, Gbadamosi Oluwakemi 30 years, Segun Joshua 24 years old, Amaka Chuks  28 years old, Edokpe Eric Emeka 37 years old, Ismaila Kareem 24 years old, Nduke Kingsley 22 years old, Barnabas James 48 years old, Adeleke Sunday  37 years old, Ibrahim Olaniron  26 years old, Daniel Oduma 31 years old, Bashua Oluwaseyi 45 years old, Folajin Ebunoluwa 21 years old, Folajin Feyi 59 years old, Joshua Oyenusi 30 years old, Adam Abdulrahman 25 years old, Ayomide Adenuga 20 years old, Omoniyi Oladayo 37 years old, Bamidele Stephen 47 years old, Chison Onwusoron 18 years old, Oloruntoba Aisha 31 years old, Obi Okoye 32 years old, Olagoke Onuoluwa 28 years old, Akeem Ikeoluwa 43 years old, Yakubu Musa 27 years old, Segun Michael 27 years old, Idris Abdulsalem 22 years old, Shittu Okikiola 26 years old, Adebayo Adewunmi 44 years old, Isiola kazeem 30 years old, Ojo Moses 21 years old, Nzube Nwaenyi 22 years, Kingsley Hosea 28 years old, John Christopher 22 years old, Saheed Lawal 34 years old, Chibuike Ogbor 31 years old, John Felix Adekanye 30 years old, Adekunle Peter 28 years old, Rilwan Babajide 18 years old, Bukola Oyekola 30 years old, Ubogu Kennedy 30 years old, Yusuf Lawal 25 years old, Olamide Wasiu 17 years old, Shares Isiaka 24 years old, Wisdom Edokpayi 34 years old, Duyilemi Micheal 34 years old, Ofen Francis 30 years old, Mukaila Babatunde 19 years old, Nwanga Sunday 28 years old, Chukwuma ifeadi 30 years old, Kareem Akeem 24 years old, Chibuzor Okonkwo 40 years old, Tosin Oluwadamilare 24 Years old, Zakariyu Mohammed 29 years old, Olasunkanmi Akanbi 37 years old, Babatunde Olafusi 40 years old, Idowu Amuza 25 years old, Kehinde Oke 20 years old, Dayo Adegoke 20 years old, Nachi Emeka 18 years old, Akpede Isaiah 19 years old, Akpede Joshua 17 years old, Akanbi Afeez 18 years old and Tosin Oluwadamilare 24 years old.
5. For information or complaints regarding non compliance call the following numbers 09010512285, 09010512286, 09010512287 and 09010512288.

                                                                           

TWO SUSPECTED CULTISTS ARRESTED FOR KILLING AN OPC MEMBER

 

Operatives of Ogun State police command on the 7thof April 2020 arrested two members of a deadly cult group who assassinated one Kolawole Ajomale a member of Oodua People’s Congress on the 5th of April 2020 in Ijebu-Igbo.

      According to a press release by the DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi the Ogun State Command Spokesperson,   the suspects Korede Pariosho and Jide Afolabi were arrested following an intelligent based investigation embarked upon by the detectives at Ijebu-Igbo division  led by DPO Sp Kazeem Solotan which led them to the hideout of the group where the duo were arrested and the gun they used to kill the victim was also recovered.

          The hoodlums had on 5th of April 2020 attacked their victim in his house situated at No.20 Odo Balogun Street Oke Sapen, in Ijbeu-Igbo where the deceased was shot on the head and stomach in presence of his pregnant wife, consequent upon which the victim died on the spot.

          Since then, police has been on their trail before they were finally apprehended following painstaking intelligence and technical investigation.

On interrogation, the two suspects confessed killing the deceased but they claimed to have done it in revenge of the death of one member of their cult group whom they alleged was killed by OPC men in 2017. They further confessed to have vowed since then that any member of OPC seen will be killed in vengeance of the death of their late colleague.

          Meanwhile, the Commissioner of police, Cp Kenneth Ebrimson has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to homicide section of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for discreet investigation and prosecution.           

 

Police Impound 13 Vehicles over lockdown

The Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) DCP Olatunji Disu this morning led a team of police officers to impound 13 vehicles in Alapere area of the metropolis for not complying with the Federal Government’s directive on the stay at home order just as the team dispersed a group of over 150 youth doing physical exercise in Ketu – Alapere.

The vehicles, which included three cars, seven buses and three 4-Wheel drives were caught carrying passengers and were without valid excuses of being on the road.

The Commander, who was leading a team of police officers on intensification of enforcement of COVID 19 stay at home to Lagos Island detoured at ketu - Alapere where a long queue of vehicles were making their way towards Ojota Bridge inward Ibadan.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu had yesterday evening directed the Commander, RRS and Area Commanders in the State to supervise and intensify enforcement of the Stay at home directives on COVID 19.

The Commander had earlier directed his men to disperse over 150 youths who had equally converged in front of Samuel Gbadebo Adegboyega Village beside The Apostolic Church, Alapere.

Some of the youths, who claimed to be residents of the village and Ketu - Alapere were in their large numbers doing morning physical exercises before the police got to the area.

After being addressed on the essence of the government’s stay at home order, some of the youth still refused to go home until the RRS Commander directed his officers to form a wall, walked the youth down the road before they eventually dispersed.

While vehicles with valid excuses and identifications were allowed passage, some of the buses that were arrested stated that they were heading to Ibadan with their passengers.

All the vehicles have been handed over to Alapere Divisional Police Station.

Police arraign actress Funke and hubby for organizing house party during convid- 19 lockdown
By Patience Ogbo

Funke Akindele and her husband were charged to Court for violating restriction orders in Lagos
On 6th April, 2020 at about 1100hours, Funke Akindele Bello and her husband Abdul Rasheed Bello were arraigned in Chief Magistrate Court 1 Ogba on one count charge. They were brought to Court by detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department Yaba led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of investigation, DCP Yetunde Longe. The prosecuting team was lead by the Hon Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN. The charge was read to the accused persons by the Court and they pleaded guilty. The Court found them guilty as charged and sentenced as follows: The defendants are to pay a fine of 100,000 each, sentenced to 14 days community service, three hours per day, excluding Saturday and Sunday; each Defender shall visit 10 important public places within Lagos State to educate the public on the consequences of non compliance with the restriction order; and they must submit the names and phone numbers of every person who attended the party. They shall be placed on isolation by the State Government to determine their COVID-19 status. Failure to abide by the above directives shall attract more severe punishments.
2. The brief facts of the case as contained in the charge are: On 04/04/2020, the two accused persons held a party at their residents with over twenty persons in attendance contrary to the social distancing directives made in pursuant to Regulation  8(1)(a) and (b) & 17(1)(i) of the Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020 and therefore committed an offence under Section 58 of the Public Health Law Cap P16 Vol. 9, Laws of Lagos State 2015.
3. The suspects were arrested by operatives of Lagos State Police Command following a viral video showing a large number of persons mainly in the entertainment industry in an Estate, along Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki axis, Lagos celebrating a birthday party organised by Funke Akindele Bello and her husband Abdul Rasheed Bello.
2. Azeez Fashola a.k.a Naira Marley is now in Police custody. He will also be charged to Court for violating the restriction orders. The Command  has launched a manhunt for the remaining persons who attended the party. The Commissioner of Police Lagos State Command, CP Hakeem Odumosu psc expressed his profound gratitude to Lagosians and other well meaning Nigerians that speak up against the violations. Together we can stop the spread of COVID-19.

NIGERIAN CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS CALL FOR URGENT DECONGESTION OF POLICE CELLS AND CORRECTIONAL CENTERS

We, the undersigned civil society organisations spread across Nigeria, note with satisfaction the efforts by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to ensure the observance of social distancing at police stations in Nigeria as part of measures to check the spread of COVID-19 at the police stations. We note, in particular, the IGP's directives to State and Zonal commands to avoid unnecessary arrests and detention of persons in police cells except for serious (capital) offences. 

However, we note, with serious concern, that in some states, people are still held in police cells, some for bailable offences such as misdemeanors. And for suspects held for serious offences such as capital offences, Police are not able to charge them to courts because the courts are currently shut down. 

We also note that most states have no functional testing laboratories and isolation centres, and detainees in urgent need of medical attention in those states can't access healthcare. These ones are made vulnerable to more dangers than just the likely exposure to the deadly virus.

We call on the Inspector-General of Police to order state commissioners and Divisional Police officers to ensure urgent decongestion of cells by ensuring immediate release of persons still held in custody for minor offences.

We also call on the IGP to put in place mechanisms for effective monitoring of compliance with his directives against indiscriminate arrests and detentions and ensure consequences for non-compliance. If officers continue to make indiscriminate arrests after decongestion, the detention facilities will be congested again. 

We call on Chief Magistrates in states, in fulfilment of their obligations under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015,  and in compliance with the 2019 Practice Direction of the Chief Justice of Nigeria on visits to police custody facilities to embark on inspection visits to police stations within their jurisdictions with a view to ensuring the immediate release of detainees based on established criteria, to decongest the cells and  prevent likely infection and spread of Covid-19. We also recognise the need for Magistrates to be provided with protection kits to visit these places of detention.

We call on the Hon. Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, in liaison with State Attorneys General, to also initiate steps for audit of Police cells and correctional centres, including juvenile correctional facilities, to decongest them.

We are particularly concerned about the recent riot by prisoners in Kaduna correctional centre which, as investigation reveals, was sparked by protests over conditions in the prison and fears by the inmates about possible exposure to Covid-19 infection. We are also worried about reports of brutal repression of the riots and of torture, injuries and deaths.

If Kaduna's prison situation is not properly handled, it could have a boomerang effect on other correctional centres. We call for a thorough, impartial and independent investigation into the incident and the immediate release of all persons unlawfully or unnecessarily still held in custody, in particular those held on minor offences.

We call for the immediate provision for all detainees and prisoners,  information on the spread of the virus, urgent disinfection and distribution of sanitary materials to all holding facilities, and provision and access to  running water at each facility.

Signed:

1. Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC)

2. Spaces for Change (S4C)

3. Vision Spring Initiative, Lagos

4. Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation (SIAF) 

5. Echoes of women in Africa initiative

6. Women’s Right to Education Programme (WREP)

7. Rights Enforcement and Public Law Centre (REPLACE)

8. Women’s  Rights and Health Project (WRAHP)

9. Foundation for Justice and Rehabilitation of prisoners FJRP, Lagos

10. People Against Corruption and Injustice

11. Nde Oduko Foundation - NDOF

12. Sterling Centre for Law &Development

13. Partners West Africa- Nigeria

14. Safer World Foundation

15. Amnesty International Nigeria

16. Dorothy Njemanze Foundation(DNF).

17. Women Initiative for Leadership Strategy & Innovation in Africa (Women Africa)

18. Centre for Social Transformation and Human Develeopment (CHDST) 

19. Ace and Vanguard Legal Practitioners

20.Human Rights Advocacy Group Lagos.

21. Life Wire International Foundation

22. LEDAP - Legal Defence & Assistance Project 

23. Legal Defence Against Injustice Initiative

24. Lawyers Alert

25. Daniel Ukwu Leadership Foundation (Dulf) supported

26. PEP- Public Enlightenment Projects

27. Global Rights

28. Prisoners' Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA)

29. Prisoners' Rights Advocacy Initiative (PRAI)

30. Lagos Civil Society Participation for Development (LACSOP)

31. Youth Advocates For Peace Justice And Empowerment Network (YAPJEN)

32. Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Abuja

33. Independent Advocacy Project IAP Lagos

34. Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF) 

35. Tap Nitiative For Citizens Development 

36. WILPF Nigeria

37. Avocats Sans Frontières France

38. CLEEN Foundation

39. Women Information Network (WINET)

40. Edo Civil Society Organisations

41. Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC)

42. House of Justice

43. Prison Fellowship

44.Democracy and Human Rights Network, DHRN

45. Community Agenda for Peace

46. Committee for the Defence of Human Right

47. Human Rights Watch

48. Alliances for Africa

49. NOPRIN

50. Nigerian Feminist Forum

51. CISLAC - Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre