Soldier in court for robbing victim of N200

Police in Katsina State on Monday arraigned a soldier, Ahmad Muhammad and one Ahmad Abubakar, before a Katsina Chief Magistrates’ Court III, for allegedly robbing their victim of N200.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Okolo Usman told the court that the incident occurred on March 9, on Sabuwar-Maigora road in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina state.

The prosecutor said the two were been charged for criminal conspiracy and armed robbery. .

Usman said the accused persons had attacked one Alhaji Haruna Adamu in the night, injured him and fled after robbing him of N200.

He said that the police, who were on patrol in the area, met the victim crying, and that the subsequent hunt for the suspects led to the arrest of the two, while the victim was rushed to Sabuwa General Hospital for medical attention.

Usman said the soldier, who was arrested while in uniform, had already been dismissed from service.

According to him, the offence contravened Section 97(a) (b) of Robbery and Fire Arms Act, cap 398 Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The Chief Magistrate, Alhaji Nuraddeen Jikamshi adjourned the case till April 2, for mention and ordered the accused persons to be remanded in prison custody.

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Army arrested five suspects, including a woman with guns and mobile police uniforms.

Army patrol teams from the 23rd Armour Brigade, Yola, have arrested five suspects, including a woman with guns and mobile police uniforms.

Parading them in Yola on Friday, the brigade Public Relations Officer, Lt. Victor Olukoya, said the suspects were arrested at army checkpoints in Mubi and Numan towns.

Olukoya said two of the suspects, a man and a woman, were arrested in Numan when the bag of gari the woman was carrying was searched and four guns, comprising two pistols and two double barrels, were discovered.

The Public Relations Officer said the two other men were arrested in Mubi with many sets of mobile police uniforms and boots.

He said the arrest led to the picking up of their accomplice, a serving police corporal attached to the Abia Police Command.

The police spokesman urged the public to be vigilant and security conscious, to assist the operatives in combating the security challenges facing the nation.

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Soldier, 16 others killed in foiled bank robbery, gun battle

ABOUT 17 persons, including a soldier,were, on Wednes-day, reported killed while several others sustained varying degrees of gunshot injuries during a failed bank robbery and a shootout between soldiers and a group of suspected armed robbers.

The incident occured on Akaeze Afikpo/Okigwe expressway while the soldiers were returning from the 24 Engineer Regiment in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

It was gathered that at least nine of the suspected robbers died in the shoot- out.

The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Lieutenant-Colonel Sagir Musa, who confirmed the development, said the robbers were escaping after a failed bank robbery at Ikom in Cross River State in which nine persons, including a police officer, were killed before they were intercepted by soldiers on routine patrol in Ebonyi State.

“At about 1830 hours on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, there was a failed/foiled bank robbery attack at Ikom in Cross River State which led to the death of eight civilians and a policeman. The robbers fled towards Ebonyi State in two vehicles through Ugep/Abomigbe Road. Soldiers on routine patrol in Ebonyi State were fully informed and subsequently intercepted the robbers on Afikpo/Amasire axis.”

According to Musa, “at that point, there was heavy exchange of fire which resulted in the death of one soldier while two soldiers were wounded. Seven robbers were killed, two were seriously wounded and bled to death before reaching the hospital.”

He further said that six of the suspected robbers escaped with bullet wounds into a nearby bush.

Items recovered from the robbers include two RPG7 bombs, 28 empty magazines, two gas cylinders, 37 empty cases of 7.62 mm special ammu-nition, 22 live rounds of 7.62mm special ammuni-tion and two vehicles.

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Army kills 3 MASSOB members in Onitsha, arrrests 46 others

Three members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) were allegedly killed yesterday in a clash with personnel of Nigerian Army. Addressing journalists yesterday, MASSOB Director for Information, Uchenna Madu, said the victims were shot dead by soldiers along Port Harcourt Road.

Madu disclosed that the soldiers swooped on his members whom, he said, were on their way to perfect plans for the burial of the late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu. He said about 46 members of the movement were also arrested by soldiers at Bishop Crowther Primary School, Onitsha while they were holding a meeting.

“MASSOB condemned this coward and stupid act, this systematic clampdown and unwarranted arrests of our members is provocative and pushing us to the wall which we will not tolerate.

“Boko Haram has taught us that nobody has monopoly of violence in Nigeria and we are telling the Nigerian Army that Ndigbo in general are still in mourning mood because of the death of Ojukwu.” He also expressed sadness that the army, instead of tackling the security challenges in the northern part of the country, deviated and deployed their might to strangulate Ndigbo through intimidations.

On the resolve of MASSOB, Madu said: “Nigerian Army should not mistake our non violence to cowardice. This will be the last the army will disturb MASSOB as such may not be overlooked because the atmosphere is very peaceful in the South-east but the army is creating artificial tension,” he said.

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Army set to confront Boko Haram

AS part of moves to halt the activities of Boko Haram sect, the Nigerian Army have concluded arrangements to intensify training in counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations.

Addressing journalists, yesterday, on the current security situation in the country, Director, Army Public Relations, Major-General Ralph Isa, disclosed that troops were now patrolling major highways and towns complimenting the efforts of already existing task forces.

According to him, Nigerian Army troops on Operation Restore Order III recently raided a suspected terrorists’ hideout in Pompomari area of Damaturu in Yobe State where it discovered an ammunition dump and a number of AK-47 rifles and Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, adding that troops have continued to dominate the area with joint patrols.

The Army spokesman, who noted that major challenges posed by the sect have been reported mainly in Borno and Yobe states, stressed that their primary targets have been mainly isolated offices of security agencies, a few Army patrol vehicles and some places of worship.

Isah also disclosed that following information from arrested members of Boko Haram sect, Operation Restore Order I in Maiduguri conducted series of cordon and search operations in conjunction with other security agencies leading to the discovery of about 40 small arms and subsequent arrest of suspected members of sect.

Speaking further, the Spokesman said that in Yobe, some members of the sect were making IEDs which unfortunately exploded in the process and thereafter attracted troops that did not hesitate to move to the scene and recovered 32 assorted arms and 339 ammunition of different calibers, among other items.

He added that those arrested were cooperating and making useful statements that will provide the basis for future operations.

On the ultimatums and panic movements across the country, General Isa explained that the Army and other security agencies in the country were fully aware of those text messages emanating from some groups threatening people of non-eastern and South-South origin to quit some geo-political zones in the country.

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From Football Field to US Army Major

Seun Robert’s switch from football to the military still confounds most people that saw him play the Beautiful Game. He had a promising career as a youngster and his rise from grass-roots football to the Super Eagles was amazing. 

 After helping Premier Grammar School to win the Ogun State Principal Cup in 1983, he captained Ibadan Grammar School to win the Oyo State Principal Cup in 1984 before again leading them to win bronze at the All Nigeria Secondary Schools Sport Competition same year. 

The following year, he captained Oyo State’s football team, to the National Sports Festival in Ilorin, Kwara State and was selected by the... Ibadan Football Association as the Best Defender of the Year. Two years later, he was recruited by giants IICC Shooting Stars (now known as 3SC) of Ibadan. Thereafter, he got a call-up to the Flying Eagles and after helping them to the final of the 1989 ECOWAS Cup in Bauchi, he got an invite from Dutchman Clemens Westerhof to the Eagles. 

 As his admirers monitored his burgeoning career anxiously, Robert suddenly ‘vanished’ into thin air. “Robert was a great player whom most of us felt would take over from Stephen Keshi as captain of the national team because of his leadership qualities. He was also a very disciplined player; only God knows where he is now,” remarked a lecturer at the National Institute of Sports, several years ago. Unknown to his followers, Robert had left for the United States of America to chart a new career path. 

Today, he is a Major in the US Army and was part of the country’s troop to Iraq. Robert puts the record straight contrary to insinuations in some quarters that the Flying Eagles failure to win the ECOWAS Cup stopped his progress to the Eagles, The Ibadan-born ex-player narrates his story: “I would like to give glory to God for His infinite mercies and protection over me and my family.

 I am in the United States of America now and currently serving as a Logistics Officer in the United States Army,” Robert began. “As a matter of fact, I was one of the three players that were promoted to the Super Eagles from Flying Eagles immediately after the ECOWAS Cup competition in 1990. The other two were Dotun Alatise and Ademola Johnson. In fact, I migrated to the US while in the Super Eagles camp with Clemens Westerhorf as Technical Adviser and Tunde Disu his assistant. 

 “But about a week before the Eagles’ match against Liberia, I was offered an admission and a four-year soccer scholarship to study at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, USA. “I was approached by a scout after our semi-final match with Senegal during the ECOWAS Cup. The scout told me that he was representing some colleges in the United States. I started the process while in the Flying Eagles camp and completed it while I was in the Super Eagles camp, with the help of Emmanuel Akpan, who was already in the United States. “Coincidentally, I also received another offer to play professional football for a club in Spain but I had to turn down the offer. 

It was an opportunity which was very difficult for me to forego, due to my flair for football back then. “I left Nigeria to study in the US on September 4, 1990 and I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance in 1995 and a Master of Science degree in Economics, with concentration in Finance in 1997.” Why then the sudden switch to an unfamiliar terrain? “Upon completion of my graduate programme, I enlisted in the US Army as an Automated Logistical Specialist. 

I was later selected to attend the Officers Candidate School and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery Branch, on August 3, 2000. “I was promoted to First Lieutenant while stationed in South Korea in 2002, and to Captain, during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. “In 2009, I was selected for a promotion to “Major” and simultaneously was also selected to attend the prestigious United States Army Command and General Staff College. “It was while I was attending the CGSC that I actually got pinned (promoted) to Major. 

Upon graduation from CGSC, I was assigned to serve as the Battalion Executive Officer for a battalion that was forward- deployed to Iraq. “In fact, I had just completed my second deployment to Iraq in July, 2011 before I reported to my current duty station in Germany. I have served in the Army for 15 years,” Robert added. Interestingly, he never had the intention of enlisting into the Army but suddenly found himself in the colours of the US Army. But he admits that the love for football still lingers on. He said, “I never thought of joining the army. 

My initial plan was to complete my first degree in the US and migrate to Europe to continue my football career. But one thing led to another and the rest is history. “Of course I miss the game. I have an indomitable passion for football. As a matter of fact, I still play for fun every now and then. “To some extent football and army are interrelated. They both require team work, selfless service, personal courage, and loyalty to one’s country or team. 

You also have to be able to make quick decisions and think outside the box too.” Unlike now when parents encourage their wards to play football, Robert was part of the generation whose parents were mostly opposed to their children identifying with football. “My parents were against me playing. I had to sneak out several times to play football during my secondary school years. Unfortunately, my father died before I could even start getting paid for playing football. 

 “I started playing football at the early age, while I was in primary school at Ebenezer Primary School in Ibadan. My football skill was raw at that level until I met late coach Abayomi Akande, popularly known as Gomez, who started polishing my football skill.” He still remembers his time very vividly saying he enjoyed playing for a great team like 3SC. But he admits that some strikers gave him nightmares during the years the domestic league was at its competitive best. 

 “Honestly, I played for 3SC from 1987 to 1990 and I tremendously enjoyed playing alongside great players like Felix Owolabi, late Muda Lawal, Ogbein Fawole, Raymond King, Mutiu Adepoju, Tunde Odubola, Samuel Elijah, Layiwola Alabi, Kabiru Adejare and the team’s other great players. “But I had a tough time playing against Bella Momoh and Dimeji Lawal. They were very mesmerizing,” he said. He recounts his time in the domestic league saying, “There were lots of memorable moments but my best moments were during my time in the Super Eagles camp. 

I was at the peak of my career and was looking forward to playing in the 1994 World Cup and the 1996 Olympic Games. “However, one of my worst moments that I can remember was on the opening day of the 1990 season. IICC was playing Enugu Rangers at the Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan. I had a couple of chances, overlapping from the left flank, which I was unable to convert into goals to put IICC ahead. Unfortunately, the match ended in a 0-0 draw.” 

 He blames the decline of the country’s football on “poor management, consistent reliance of national coaches on Nigerians footballers abroad, which in my own opinion, will continue to cause deterioration and less attention in the local league. We must employ subject matter experts in football to manage the affairs of the football body.” Robert wishes to return home one day with his family to contribute his quota to the country. “I am married to a very beautiful and loving lady, former Miss Bola Abdul-Azeez, from Ilorin. She is a Business Administration graduate from the University of Maryland. We are blessed with children. My wife and I hope to live in Nigeria after I retire,” Robert sums up

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