The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed an application by alleged terrorists’ negotiator, Mohammed Tukur Mamu, seeking to be relocated from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to Kuje prison in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In a ruling on Monday, Justice Inyang Ekwo agreed with the prosecution that it would be unwise to grant Mamu’s request in view of the incessant jail breaks being experienced in the country in recent time.

Justice Ekwo noted that Mamu neither contradicted nor disputed – as required by law – the prosecution’s averments in relation to frequent cases of jail break in recent time.

The judge held that as the defendant did not challenge the averments, they are deemed to be true facts, adding that facts admitted need no further proof.

Justice Ekwo subsequently ordered Mamu to remain in DSS custody throughout his trial in the criminal charges against him.

The judge restated his earlier order that the terrorist negotiator be allowed access to his personal physician for medical treatment with the supervisions of the DSS.

Mamu was arraigned before the court on March 21 on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism related offences, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

He was among others, accused of having relationship with terrorists and involvement in the ransom negotiation for those behind last attack on a Kaduna-bound train and abduction of the passengers.

Mamu is being kept in the custody of the DSS while his trial is ongoing.

The Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested nine suspected crude oil thieves and dismantled three massive oil bunkering sites at the boundaries of Abia and Rivers states, according to a statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) on Monday.

The statement reads in full:

With firm determination to salvage the nation’s economy from saboteurs perpetrating acts of illegal dealings in petroleum products; the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General’General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi min. OFR, has commended the effort of the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) for the arrest of 9 suspects for their allegedly involvement in Pipeline Vandalism, operating illegal local refineries and crude oil theft.

Narrating the ordeal of effecting the arrest of the 9 suspects in a very massive thick forest at Ommuma/Owaza forest- a boundary between Rivers and Abia States; the CG’s SIS Commnader DC Appolos Dandaura said the Squad placed a strategic surveillance on the crime scene based on the Corps resolve to wage relentless war against vandals and oil thieves.

“Based on sustained intelligence we placed strategic surveillance on the crime scene and apprehended 9 suspects caught in the act of illegally refining stolen crude extracted from a vandalized Oil Well Head; we also discovered an ongoing construction of a local refinery with the capacity to produce 60,000 litres of crude at once”.

“While on operational tour across the terrain we uncovered about 3 well constructed illegal local refineries where crude is being siphoned through vandalized well head with large hoses connected to transmit crude to Cooking ovens and later channeled to reservoirs after processing; there after loading is finally done “.

“Visibly at the massive illegal bunkering site you will notice how large hoses and galvanized metal pipes were laid to transfer stolen crude across the processing channels; the site occupied over 15 Modular ovens with 4 fabricated reservoirs and 30 pits dug out to store processed AGO”.

“The names of the Suspects arrested are: Oghene Wede (M) 32years, Moses James (M) 25years, Chidi Nwosu (M) 53years, Samuel John (M) 24years, Emmanuel Paul (M) 20years, Oghenevo Nwebi (M) 43years, Martina Whinnypeter (F) 38Years, Nwabuchi Nwogu (M) 41 years and David Okere (M) 20years”.

DC Appolos further relayed that some exhibits recovered during the operations are: RWD 5.0 GFE-6500 Power Generating Set, 2 Yellow Colour Pumping Machine, Metal and Plastic buckets, Cutlasses, Saw, Mats, Welding Machine, Galvanized metal pipes, different heavy duty hoses, Head flash lights, some Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) illegally processed in cooking ovens.

“Investigation has commenced to unravel the level of involvement of each of the suspects and their sponsors; at the end of our thorough investigation; the Suspects would be charged to court to serve as deterrent to others.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two electrical cable vandals, according to a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP).

Describing how the thieves were caught, Hundeyin’s statement said the incident occurred on Tuesday, at about 6pm, when the Ikeja Division received information that:

“Two suspected vandals, one Olashile Obikoya M’ aged 21 and Victor Adebanjo ‘M’ aged 20, were sighted at Lopez Close, Awosika Agbaoku Estate with some electrical wires suspected to have been vandalized from a building.

“Immediately, anti-crime patrol of the di vision responded to the distress call and arrested the two suspects caught within the premises and recovered the already vandalized wires in their possession.

“The two suspects are currently in Poluce custody for further investigation.”