The suspects were led into Court 11 by the operatives of the Nigerian Police Force from the Force Headquarters about 01:40 pm where they will be arraigned before Justice Nkeonye Maha.

Police High Command had, on Nov. 11, paraded 15 suspects over the invasion of the Abuja residence of a Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili, describing them as impostors unknown to any of the nation’s security forces.

Parading the suspects at the Force Headquarters Annex, Abuja, Force spokesman, Frank Mba, said that the 14 suspects include a fake Chief Superintendent of Police Lawrence Ajojo.

He said the suspects, and seven others at large, conspired to raid the residence following information that the Supreme Court justice was keeping a large sum of money in foreign currencies.

According to Mba, the seven suspects still at large include two soldiers.

He said the suspects involved in the criminal acts came from different professional backgrounds such as journalism, banking, law enforcement and law.

He said the syndicates, including one Stanley Nkwazema, a journalist, were loose canons and document forgers who were on their own and not hired by any personnel of the Ministry of Justice.

NAN reports that Justice Odili’s residence at 7, Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja, was, on October 29, allegedly invaded by armed security operatives on the grounds of an alleged tip-off by a whistleblower, one Aliyu Umar, who claimed to have observed suspicious activities at the residence. Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna was said to have approved a search warrant by a body identified as the Joint Panel Recovery Unit in the Ministry of Justice, leading to the invasion of Odili’s home.

The magistrate later revoked the order, saying he was misled while the police and other security agencies also said they were not aware of the raid.

However, the police commended the resistance put up by the security personnel attached to Odili’s residence for not allowing the suspects access to the building, saying that it could have been the greatest embarrassment to the nation if the operation had succeeded.

The siege had drawn condemnation from many Nigerians and several interest groups, including the Nigerian Bar Association, the Supreme Court, National Assembly, several state governors, civil society organisations, among others.

The Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, SAN, and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had separately denied authorising the raid or knowledge of it.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Department of State Services (DSS), both of which were also linked to the invasion, had denied involvement.

As of the time of filing the report, the court was yet to begin sitting.

The immigration officer is expected to be arraigned this week alongside a journalist, banker, lawyer, a fake policeman and seven others. Altogether, about 15 suspects are expected to be taken to court this week in Abuja.

However, the soldiers who allegedly took part in the raid have yet to be arrested.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said approval had been given for all the suspects to be arraigned.

Mba said, “Yes, it is true. An immigration officer was also arrested. Approval has been given for all suspects to be arraigned,”.

The home of Justice Odili on Imo River Crescent in the Maitama area of Abuja was raided on October 29, 2021, by some men claiming to be members of the Joint Panel Recovery unit of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The men, including soldiers, embarked on the raid after obtaining a search warrant signed by a Chief Magistrate Court

The Force spokesperson, Frank Mba made the announcement on Monday August 16, revealing that 33 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident.

Mba who disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba has ordered the deployment of additional operational assets in the state as part of ongoing coordinated efforts at restoring public order in Rukuba and its environs, also revealed that police surveillance helicopter, two units of Police Mobile Force (PMF), and two cells of Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) were among the assets deployed to Plateau State by the police chief.

The Force spokesperson said the surveillance helicopter manned by operatives of Nigeria Police Airwing, is expected to carry out aerial surveillance and confidence-boosting patrols within the hotspots, in coordinated operations with the ground troops.

While a Channels Television correspondent who covered the protest in Abuja insisted that he did not observe any sign of violence from the protesters before the police disrupted their parade, Mba in an interview on the same news platform said the use of teargas was an isolated case in Abuja where protesters turned violent.

He also said that no Nigerian in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, or anywhere is currently in detention due to the isolated incident.

The police spokesperson said “We had an isolated case in Abuja where some of the protesters became unruly and in line with international best practices, police fired teargas at them. And that is an acceptable mode of engaging violent protesters anywhere globally, whether in Abuja, Lagos, Paris, London, or New York or California. That is internationally accepted. We would have problems if we had fired live bullets at them, but when you fire teargas at protesters to disperse them, you are not in breach of any known code, either nationally or internationally. I also want to use this opportunity to clearly state that no citizen, either in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano or anywhere, is currently in detention due to this isolated incident. As long as protesters conduct themselves within the confines of the law; they do not constitute themselves into a nuisance, they do not breach the rights of other citizens, they do not obstruct traffic, they do not compel other citizens to join their protests, the police will largely work with them. When you protest in contravention of this set of conditions I have given, clearly you are coming in direct conflict with the laws of the land, and the police will never stand by idly and watch you create problems for the entire polity.”

Abdulrashid Maina, who was declared wanted by a court of competent jurisdiction, was arrested last night, 30th November 2020 through the collaborative efforts of the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, INTERPOL NCB, Abuja and their Nigerien counterpart.

A statement released by the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force NPF, Frank Mba, says Maina is currently in a detention facility in the Niger Republic awaiting the completion of the extradition processes.

The police chief made the announcement in spite of the protest against the replacement of defunct and controversial police unit, SARS with the newly created unit (SWAT).

In a statement released on Sunday, October 18 by Nigerian Police Force spokesperson Frank Mba, the IGP was quoted saying that the security operatives will operate within “high professional and ethical standards, rule of law and dictates of best international policing practices”.

The statement read “The IGP reiterates that no personnel of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) will be a member of the new Tactical Team. He notes that the officers selected for the training are young, smart and energetic officers who have acquired not less than seven (7) years working experience with clean service records – no pending disciplinary matters, no record of violation of rights of citizens or misuse of firearms – and are physically fit to withstand the rigour of SWAT Training and Operations. The selected officers shall be subjected to the physical fitness test, medical and toxicology screening etc and those found to be unsuitable shall be discharged. The ICRC, independent international human rights and humanitarian support organization with over 71years of experience in humanitarian services and institutional support and development, will provide resource persons and materials to handle the human rights components of the training program. Specifically, they will handle topics touching on humanitarian laws, police conduct in conflict situation, human rights standard especially in the use of force and firearms, arrest and detention amongst others. Other areas of the training program will include modern-day police ethics and values, Intelligence-led policing, Operation planning/Tactical decision-making processes, Hostage rescue tactics and operation, weapon handling, first aid/basic life-saving skills, stress/fear management, police-citizens relations and emotional intelligence etc. The training modules will be handled by other carefully selected development partners, security experts as well as veterans from the civil society and human rights community.”

Mba said this in an interview with Channels TV.

He said, “I have seen some of those who are pushing for end SARS who are just pseudo-activists, people who are desperate for public validation, people who are looking to be seen as social media influencers and I will tell you these are the people that post false items, fake news.”

A video of the police officers harassing the lady went viral and caught the attention of the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, who ordered an immediate investigation.

In a statement released on Thursday night July 23, spokesperson the Nigeria Police Force, Frank Mba, said the erring police officers are currently being detained at the Lagos state CID detention in Panti.

Read the statement below “Following investigations into the dehumanizing treatment of a female citizen as shown in a viral video on Wednesday, 22nd July 2020, the Nigeria Police Force have identified three (3) police officers and one (1) civilian accomplice who participated in the unprofessional act. Two (2) suspects, ASP Tijani Olatunji and Inspr Gboyega Oyeniyi have been arrested for their role in the discreditable conduct and incivility to a member of the public. They are currently being detained at the Lagos State CID detention facility, Panti, Yaba. Preliminary investigations show that the policemen who are attached Area ‘A’ Command, Lion Building, Lagos, were on legitimate investigation activities to Ibadan, Oyo State where the incident took place. The effort is being intensified to arrest the two other accomplices. Meanwhile, appropriate disciplinary procedure will be initiated as soon as investigations are concluded”

Frank Mba, the spokeperson of the police force, in a statement released on Thursday night, August 8, knocked the Army for attempting to justify the unprovoked killing of the police officers by men of the Nigerian Army.

According to the Army, its officers received a distress call that some armed men were attempting to abduct Alhaji Hamisu Wadume.. The Army says in response to the distress call, its men stormed the area and fired gunshots at the ”suspected kidnappers.”

Read the press statement below
The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to the Press Release by the Nigerian Army seeking to justify the unprovoked and unwarranted murder of three (3) Police officers and one (1) Civilian, and serious injury to other operatives, who were on legitimate criminal investigation activities to Taraba State, to arrest one Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume indicted in a series of high-profile kidnap incidents in the State.
In the best tradition of Esprit de Corps, Inter-Agency Harmony and National Interest, the Nigeria Police Force would naturally have kept quiet, but it has become imperative to set the record straight by addressing the obvious distortion of facts inherent in the Press Release by the Nigerian Army.
The most important question arising from the Nigerian Army Press Release is: Where is Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume? Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume is a millionaire kidnapper arrested by the Police but paradoxically treated as a ‘‘kidnap victim’’ by the Soldiers and subsequently ‘rescued’ by them. Where is he? Where is the rescued kidnapper?
Secondly, the Press Release was silent on the source of the alleged distress report or identity of the complainant, on the strength of whose report, the Army claimed had informed their decision to engage in the purported chase and rescue operation. Needless to state that in the true spirit of transparency and accountability, the Nigerian Army ought to have arrested the purported distress caller – if any – for obviously and deliberately furnishing them with false and misleading information. Besides, such arrest should in fact be made public!
Thirdly, it is not true that the Policemen failed to identify themselves as alleged in the Press Release. The video on the incident, now viral, wherein the voice of one of the soldiers was heard loudly proclaiming that the Policemen were from the Force Headquarters, Abuja speaks volume. Besides, the presence of the IRT personnel was well known to the Taraba Police Command as the Operatives officially and properly documented not only at the State Command Headquarters but also at the Wukari Area Command and the Ibi Divisional Headquarters. As a matter of fact, some of the Detectives from the Taraba State Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were part of the operation.
The Force also considers it insensitive, disrespectful and unpatriotic for the Press Release by the Army to continue to describe Policemen on lawful National Assignment as ‘suspected kidnappers’ long after it had become crystal clear to the Army that these are Law Enforcement Officers who unfortunately were gruesomely murdered in the line of duty by Nigerian soldiers attached to 93 Battalion, Takum.
In the final analysis, we leave the Nigerian Army authorities to provide Nigerians with answers on the following questions emanating from their Press Release:
· Where is the notorious kidnapper, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume ‘rescued’ by the soldiers?
· How and why was Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume released by the soldiers?
· How could a kidnap suspect properly restrained with handcuffs by the Police escape from the hands of his military rescuers?
· If Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume is a ‘‘victim of kidnap’’ as claimed, and properly rescued by soldiers, why was he not taken to the Army Base for documentation purposes and debriefing in line with the Standard Operating Procedure in the Nigerian Army?
· Why were the Police Operatives shot at close range even after they had identified themselves as Police Officers on legitimate duty as evident in the video now in circulation?