Crime
Commissioner of Police warn against rising trend of counterfeit AK-47s, other pistols in Lagos
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, has reacted to the spate of the rising trend of local firearms fabrication by criminal elements, with criminals producing fake foreign-made pistols, AK47s, and other rifles.
Owohunwa disclosed this on Wednesday at the unveiling of the state command Complaint Response Unit by the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
He stated that the prevalence of this trend, coupled with the surge in activities linked to cult groups, poses a significant threat to the security landscape within the state.
“Hardly does a day pass by without the ever-vigilant operatives of the command recovering weapons and illicit drugs of various descriptions at stop and search points, raids of black spots, and other operational engagements, with all such recoveries linked to the perfection of crimes across the state,” Owohunwa stated.
“Most worrisome in all this is a noticeable trend that indicates an increasing local expertise in the fabrication of various types of firearms, including replicas of foreign-made pistols, AK-47s, and other rifles.”
The police commissioner, however, called on all strategic state actors and citizens to complement the efforts of the police in rolling back the dangerous tide.
Owohunwa noted that the command would organise a conference in the coming weeks in a bid to initiate a discourse to contain cultism and violent crimes in the state.
He also added that the command is constantly confronted with the challenge of dissecting and dealing with the thin line between the civil and criminal dynamics of land disputes, which are also prevalent in the state.
Meanwhile, Owohunwa, the acting Inspector-General of Police, admonished police officers to shun unprofessional conduct and show commitment to professionalism, noting that complaints of extortion against police officers have tarnished the reputation of the force.
Egbetokun disclosed that personnel mobilisation had started in response to the proposed creation of a special intervention squad, stating that the initiative aligns with the ongoing efforts to eradicate criminal elements from troubled regions across the country.
He added that since his arrival at the office, necessary steps have been taken to ensure that crime is reduced to its barest minimum, to restore security to troubled areas, and to get rid of criminal elements that were terrorising motorists along the Abuja-Kaduna route.
“We are embarking on the establishment of a special intervention squad. We have started mobilisation to make a success of that. And very soon, the SIS will start operation in the states that we have chosen as pilot states. Just give us a little more time, and you will start seeing our actions yield results,” he added.
A United States federal high court has sentenced a 38-year-old Nigerian, Kingsley Utulu, to five years and three months in prison for orchestrating a major identity theft and wire fraud scheme that defrauded the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and private citizens of over $2.5 million.
According to reports, the conviction was announced by Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher Raia, FBI Assistant Director in New York. Utulu was charged with aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to Clayton, Utulu and his co-conspirators hacked into U.S.-based tax preparation services, stole personal information, and used it to file fraudulent tax returns and extract funds.
The FBI stressed that geography offers no protection for cybercriminals, reaffirming its global reach in tackling fraud.
Utulu was arrested in the United Kingdom and later extradited to the United States.
Along with his sentence, he was ordered to pay $3.68 million in restitution and forfeit $290,250 in proceeds from the crime.
His sentencing follows the recent convictions of two other Nigerians—Abel Daramola and Olutayo Ogunlaja—linked to an international romance scam that stole over $560,000. Both face up to 20 years in federal prison.
This wave of convictions highlights growing scrutiny and action against transnational cybercrime rings involving Nigerian nationals and other foreign actors targeting U.S. citizens and institutions.
There was tension as Heavily armed men reportedly attacked worshippers during Isha (night prayers) at Dole Moriki village, Moriki District of Zurmi Local Government Area.
One person has been confirmed killed and two others injured during the attack that sent shock through the community.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 8:00 p.m. on Sunday when a group of armed bandits invaded the village and opened fire on Muslim worshippers observing Isha prayers in a local mosque.
“One person was confirmed dead at the scene, while two others sustained varying degrees of injuries as the bandits shot sporadically at worshippers during the prayer session,” Zagazola said.
Reports said security forces have been deployed to the area as normalcy slowly returns after the dreaded night attack.
The injured victims and the deceased were taken to General Hospital Moriki, where the wounded are currently receiving treatment.
The corpse was later released to relatives for burial, according to Islamic rites.
Crime
Lagos Insists Residents Patronise PSP Waste Operators or Face Prosecution with N250 Thousand Fines
Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, said that the government has provided PSP waste operators across all the wards in the State to evacuate waste from all homes and neighbourhoods in the state for a fee.
He spoke on Thursday regarding the recent arrest of five persons arrested for having dumped refuse in the canal along Igando-Iba road Link Bridge.
They were arraigned and remanded in Kirikiri prison.
The Commissioner reiterated the resolve of the state government to punish people who engage in indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
He said that the State Government will ensure diligent prosecution of all the arrested people to serve as a deterrent to others.
He reminded all those with similar intentions to be wary because they risk three months’ imprisonment and a fine of N250,000.
In a statement signed byKunle Adeshina Director of Public Affairs MOE&WR said that the accused persons who were arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Oshodi for dumping waste in a canal had their case adjourned till July 9.
They were identified as Quassim Jamiu, 44, from Kwara State, Ayo Jamiu, 18, from Kwara State, Alexander Innocent, 40, from Akwa Ibom, Oparinde Taiwo, 55- from Ogun State and Moses Adelowokan, 76 years old, from Osun State.
The men who were apprehended by a team from Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) and security men had conveyed the waste in a lorry and were in the process of dumping it into the canal when security men swooped on them.
These latest arrests are coming less than 48 hours after the State Government read the riot act to all those who engage in disobeying provisions of the State Environmental laws that if caught, they will face prosecution.
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