I use explosives to catch fish – Suspected robber

A suspected bank robber, Aitlabor Gelebele, who was arrested with explosives by the Ogun State Police Command, has said he is not a bank robber but a fisherman.

He told journalists while being paraded that he used the explosives to kill large number of fish in the river and then sold them.

According to the police authorities, Gelebele and three others – Moses Demene, Friday Saborom and Mohammadu Kaidiri – were arrested while planning to rob a bank in the Ijebu Ode area of the state.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Finance and Administration, Celestine Okoye, said the suspected robbers were arrested last month with four explosive devices and connection wires.

He explained that bank robbers usually use explosive devices to blast bank security doors.

But Gelebele denied any knowledge of the robbery operation, explaining that the explosives were used for fishing in Delta State before Demene called him that he was ready to pay N150, 000 for the devices.

According to him, he agreed to sell the explosives because he needed money to take care of his pregnant wife.

He said, “I normally use the explosives for fishing by putting the explosives in the water and then connect them to wires.

“When the explosives go off, they shock the fish to death and I catch them.”

In his reaction, Demene who identified himself as the leader of the gang, said he was aware of a robbery plan on a bank in Ijebu Ode and had to call Gelebele who was in the possession of the explosives.

He said they were on their way to meet the leader of the gang after alighting from a bus from Delta State when a commercial motorcycle rider suspected them and invited the police.

The police boss, Okoye, said all the suspects were coming from Delta State to meet another leader of the gang simply identified as Wisdom who was planning a robbery operation.

The police boss explained that the case was still under investigation and the suspects would be charged to court at the appropriate time.

He said, “Information was received by policemen on patrol at Ayepe town that a gang had been seen with bags and on getting the information, they were intercepted by the team.

“When they were searched, four explosive devices with three connection wires were recovered from them. The suspects confessed that they were coming from Delta State to meet their gang leader named Wisdom in Ogun State, now at large, to rob.”

The police also paraded a member of a trans-border robbery syndicate, Atevonou Sesco, who was arrested after successfully snatching a Toyota Sequoia with number plate, EPE 956 DP, in Ilase, Idiroko area of the state.

Okoye explained that efforts to get the owner of the vehicle had yielded no result which gave the impression that the owner might have been killed in the operation.

I use explosives to catch fish – Suspected robber

Okorocha summons security meeting over explosives in winners chapel

The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has called an emergency security meeting with all the security operatives and stakeholders in the state following the incident of the averted bomb blast by security operatives at the Living Faith Church on Sunday morning.

Briefing newsmen at the Government Office in Owerri the Imo State capital upon his arrival from Abuja, he said the meeting is scheduled for the June 16, noting that security of imo citizens will be discussed and concrete measures to prevent any occurrence of bomb attacks in the state will be addressed.

He commended the security operatives for their timely intervention by defusing the bomb as quick as possible and assured the people of the state that the government will not lose sleep over the matter as all measures will be taken to ensure peace in the state.

He urged all Imo citizens and residents to be more security conscious and should not hesitate to report any suspicious movement of persons  to the security operatives.

The Imo State Police Command in Owerri had on Sunday defused a substance identified as an Improvised Explosive Device hidden under a flower pot at the entrance of the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel) along Port Harcourt road in the state capital.

The substance, kept in a polythene bag, had a bad refrigerator compressor, 2 cigarette lighters and a timer.

While assessing the scene, the State Commissioner for Police, Abdulmajid Ali, alongside other security chiefs in the state said the police command got the intelligence report at midnight and immediately directed the anti-bomb squad to the scene.

He further disclosed that 6 persons who were found hovering around the area as at the time the substance was found have been arrested and are facing interrogation at the command headquarters.

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Okorocha summons security meeting over explosives in winners chapel

Terrorism: Two explosives detonated in Winners Chapel in Imo State

The Commissioner of Police in Imo, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali, said on Sunday in Owerri, that  six persons had been arrested in connection with two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted at the Living Faith Church (a.k.a.  Winners’Chapel).

Ali, who spoke to newsmen at the church premises along Port Harcourt Road Owerri, said the `two timed bombs’ were planted at the church premises by unknown persons.

According to him, the command was alerted about the strange objects in the church compound.

“We were alerted that some devices were seen in the church and immediately we deployed our anti-bomb squad.

“We are happy that the squad immediately detonated the bomb on arrival and six persons have been arrested so far,” he said.

Ali said the command would do everything possible to unravel the perpetrators of the act.

He urged the people to go about their normal activities as the two IEDs have been detonated.

Also speaking, Brigade Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade, Owerri, Brig.-Gen. Lanre Bello, confirmed that the explosives were capable of killing many people at a time.

 

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Terrorism: Two explosives detonated in Winners Chapel in Imo State

Panic in Lagos as objects suspected to be explosives discovered

THE NATION- There was panic on Lagos Island yesterday following the discovery of three objects suspected to be explosives.

The objects, which resembled big fireworks, were detected about 8 am by some residents at a junction close to a branch of Access Bank on Nnamdi Azikiwe Street, Lagos.

The spot is a stone’s throw to the Central Mosque.

A trader told The Nation that when the news spread, traders hurriedly closed their shops and rushed the scene. “By the time we got there, we discovered that the anti-bomb unit of the police had cordoned off the place in efforts to remove the objects,” the trader said”

Trading stopped for hours as people ran for their lives. Banks were hurriedly shut to keep hoodlums at bay.

At Tejuosho Market, those who refused to enter their shops for fear of an explosion were reassured after rescue officers searched the area with bomb detectors and found nothing.

A version of the story said a policeman suspected a man who came in a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to distribute N1,000 notes to beggars, who he asked to leave the area before driving off.

Riot policemen and other security agencies attached to the Central Business District (CBD), according to reports, were the first to rise to the occasion.

Around noon, sources said operatives of the Anti-Bomb Squad packed the objects into their vehicle marked LSR276BP and drove off. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ebute-Ero, John Otahunmele, a Chief Superintendent (CSP) led the team.

Police spokesperson Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the contents of the abandoned bag found at the spot were not explosives but sealants.

In an official statement, the  command said: “About 8.35am, upon information that there were some suspicious items in the Tom Jones area by Nnamdi Azikwe Street, Lagos Island, operatives were quickly mobilised to the scene. The team recovered the items for analysis. However, the result of the test revealed that the items are sealants used in industries. Sealant is like gum and has no explosive component. Meanwhile, the area is calm and security very tight in Lagos, please.

“The items might have probably fallen out from someone’s load as they are items that are commonly used. Lagosians are advised to go about their normal duties as there is no cause for alarm.”

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) also described as a hoax, reports that the items were explosives.

The agency’s spokesman, Ibrahim Farinloye, urged residents to go about their businesses, insisting that the news was false. “It is not true. We have gone to the areas and I have also contacted the Anti-Bomb Squad to ascertain if any such thing was recovered. They said it was untrue. So, people should not be scared and should also not hesitate to report any suspicious object to the authorities,” he said.

Panic in Lagos as objects suspected to be explosives discovered