Suspected robber, rapist of toddler nabbed…

• Rape victim’s uncle escapes assassination attempt in Akwa Ibom

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command from Maroko Police Division have arrested a suspected notorious armed robber, who specialises in traffic robbery and bag snatching.

The officers around 5:45p.m. arrested the suspect, one Daniel Sunday of Odun Street, Bariga on Wednesday. According to the Lagos State police image-maker, Dolapo Badmos, who confirmed the arrest, “there was a distress call for help by a lady being robbed along Elegushi Road, Lekki. Her shout for help alerted the team of policemen on patrol led by the Divisional Police Officer, (DPO) Abdulmajid Isa.

“The team quickly moved in and apprehended the suspect, recovered from him a locally-made single barrel pistol and the victim’s handbag, which contained her phone and the sum of N14,600. The suspect has confessed to the crime and will be charged to court.”In a related development, detectives from Owutu Division of the command have also arrested 47-year old Emmanuel Magbatie, for allegedly defiling an 18-month-old baby.

“The suspect lives at 23, Adebayo Street Owutu, Ikorodu, with the parents of the 18-month old baby that was defiled. The mother of the victim narrated to the police that on August 5, her daughter went to play in the suspect’s room as usual, but she was shocked to meet the suspect fingering the 18-month-old baby when she went to pick her up.

“The suspect, who blamed his action on the devil, has since been charged to court,” Badmos said.In Akwa Ibom, an uncle to the 15-year-old girl, who was alleged to have been raped by a police inspector in Mkpat Enin Police Division, has reportedly escaped assassination attempt.

Dr. Ime Stephen, who is the Director General, Centre for International Integrity, Peace and Development in Nigeria, told The Guardian in Uyo that a group of suspected cult boys numbering about 16 invaded his house at Nyaodiong village in Mkpat Enin, at 10:30p.m. on Tuesday.

He said the hoodlums brandished different kinds of weapons and shot into the air three times before forcing the doors open to gain entrance into his room.Stephen, who said he was not around at the time of the incident, said the hoodlums inflicted injuries on two of his boys, removed all the electric bulbs, brought down electric poles and stole the cable.

It would be recalled that, sometimes in July, a Police Inspector at Mkpat Enin division was accused of raping a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School student, and the case is being investigated by the state police command, Ikot Akpan Abia.In a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Murtala Mani, Stephen alleged threat to the life of his family members, himself, attempted arson on his new house, as well as willful or malicious damage to his property.

“I received a call at about 11:30p.m. yesterday that the house was surrounded by a group of suspected hired assassins, who shot repeatedly into the air while ordering me to come out of the house, saying that I will be killed in front of my family members.The occupants of my house shouted that I was not around as they tried to force the doors open to gain entrance into the room for possible assassination.

“They damaged the doors, removed all the electric bulbs and damaged my electric poles including the one for flags. They took all the wires away, destroyed my drums, and so many other things in the compound including local chairs,” he said.

He added that the hoodlums tarried the whole night around his premises, waiting for him to come out of the compound so that they could kill him. He noted that the hoodlums opened fire into the air many times before they finally departed the compound.

Stephen alleged that the attack was not the first one by the same group of hoodlums, noting that he had also reported the earlier attacks to the police.
Mani, however, confirmed the attack. He added that the police had also received the petition from Stephen.