News

At least 750 sexual misconduct claims against UK police officers in five years

At least 750 allegations of sexual misconduct were made against serving police officers across Britain over five years, with the highest number made against Greater Manchester police (GMP), figures show.

More than 150 GMP officers have been accused of sexual assault, according to data obtained by PA Media under the Freedom of Information Act from 31 police forces.

There are 43 police forces covering England and Wales, as well as Police Scotland and the British Transport Police.

Last month inspectors issued an unprecedented warning about public safety in Greater Manchester after finding serious failings in the region’s force, which has been in special measures for nearly a year.

Forces in England, Wales and Scotland were asked how many complaints of sexual assault were made against serving police officers between 2016 and 2020. Complaints could relate to historical allegations and most, where the officer’s sex was recorded, accused male officers, the data shows.

A publicly available response to a different freedom of information request revealed that the Met – the UK’s largest police force – recorded 530 allegations of sexual offences against serving officers and staff members between 2016 and 2020.

Of the 158 accusations made against GMP, 130 were against male officers and 11 against female officers, with details unknown in 17 instances.

Terry Woods, the GMP deputy chief constable, said the force would not “shy away” from demonstrating to the public that it was taking action against such behaviour.

“Any abuse of position for sexual purpose is absolutely unacceptable. Greater Manchester police is the second largest force in the country and we will not stand for any behaviour which does not reflect the high level of professionalism and integrity we expect of our officers,” he said.

According to anonymised misconduct outcomes over the last six months on GMP’s website, the cases include:

A constable who gained “unauthorised access to police data regarding known sex workers”, one of whom the officer then met twice.
An inspector who “engaged in unwanted sexualised behaviour towards two lower ranking members of staff”.
Taking indecent photos in the workplace.
A constable who used “unreasonable force against his partner” on two occasions.

Outcomes of misconduct hearings are published on the GMP website for 28 days. The former prime minister Theresa May, who introduced some measures to improve transparency around police misconduct hearings, has said it is “immensely disappointing” that some police hearings are still held in private and “the process of notifying the public of the results of those hearings is still worryingly opaque”.

GMP said it was “transparent with misconduct hearings and their outcomes in line with national Home Office guidelines. We publish the dates of hearings on our website in advance so people can attend. The decision to hold them in public or in private is made by the chair, who is independent of the force, and who bases that decision on representations by GMP and the officer.”

News

Bandits kill one, kidnap district head, eight others in Kebbi

Bandits have kidnapped Alhaji Isah Daya, the district head of Kanya under the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The bandits kidnapped the monarch and eight others when they stormed his village on Saturday, October 5, 2024.

The bandits also k!lled one and injured three persons during the attack.

The spokesperson for the State Police Command, Nafui Abubakar, who confirmed the attack, gave the name of the deceased as Sherriff Alhaji Almu.

According to the PPRO, a combined security team led by the police has launched a manhunt on the abductors of the monarch to rescue the abducted persons.

He noted that the Kebbi State Government has provided the needed logistics to tame banditry in the affected towns, particularly Kebbi South, Zuru Emirate.

The attack came a few days after bandits k!lled the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Suru Local Government Area of the state.

News

FG mobilises Julius Berger to complete N820b road projects

The Federal Government has told Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to fast-track the completion of the rehabilitation of the 82-kilometre Section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway and the construction of the Bodo-Bonny road with bridges across the Opobo Channel, Route 430 in Rivers State.

Works Minister David Umahi said the government could not continually negotiate with the contractor over the same projects.

In a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Uchenna Orji, during a meeting with Julius Berger, represented by its Executive Director for Projects, Benjamin Bott, and the Head of Contract Management, Omonigho Brown, the minister stressed the need for contractors handling Federal Government’s projects to exhibit corporate nationalism in price negotiation in the face of the daunting economic challenges facing the country.

Umahi said the Federal Executive Council (FEC), at its meeting on September 23, approved the re-scoping and downward review of the contracts.

He said: “We have Section II, which is 82 kilometres by two, which is the section that JBN Plc is working on.

“And so, if you check what FEC approved on September 23, FEC had approved that the total contract sum within the scope of Berger would be N740 billion. This means that if you remove N391 billion paid already, you now have about N340 billion remaining. This is the scope of their work for the 164 kilometres.”

The minister urged the contractor to mobilise for work on the four sections of the Abuja-Zaria-Kaduna-Kano project to finish the job within 14 months.

News

Police thwart plan by armed men to kidnap a foreigner in Anambra, recover four dead bodies

Police Operatives in the morning of Sunday, October 6th, 2024 thwarted the abduction/kidnapping plan of a foreigner by suspected armed secessionist members in Ogbunka village.

The Operatives courageously engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle and saved the VIP.

SP Tochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer who disclosed this in a statement said during the gun duel, two Police Operatives who were hit by bullet escaped with the foreigner.

He added that they are stable and are currently receiving treatment in a hospital.

Meanwhile, Operations are ongoing in the area for the possible arrest of the Armed men.

Also, Police operatives attached to Nimo Police Station responded to a distress call on 6/10/2024 by 8:25 pm of a suspected cult clash at Umuka, Nawfia. The Operatives upon arriving at the scene, found four lifeless bodies of young men in a pool of blood with suspected multiple gunshot injuries lying on the road.

The victims were confirmed dead by a doctor on duty and have been deposited to the morgue.

They were later identified as one Ebuka Nwaonkwube Ekenta of Mmimi village Nawfia, Nnatuanya Junior A.K: A Starboy of Mmimi village Nawfia, Aniemena A.K.A Osama of Umuariam Village and one Ahmed Auwal.

Information from eyewitnesses and some villagers reveal that the victims are known for their nefarious activities and are always in rivalry with another cult group in the area.

Furthermore, Joint patrol with Operatives of the Special Anit Cultism Squad (SPACS) has been intensified in the area.

In another development, the Commissioner of Police *CP Nnaghe Obono Itam* has ordered
immediate investigations into the gruesome murder of a 17-year-old girl suspected of being used for ritual purpose.

The girl’s lifeless body was found in a bush at Omasi village on 6/10/2024 by 4:25 pm and she was later identified as one Chinasa Adigwe from Umueje village and her private parts were cut off in a bush at Omasi Village before Police were alerted. The body has been recovered and deposited in a morgue.

The CP while condoling with the family, friends and Community of the deceased states that the Police shall do everything possible to make sure that those behind the barbaric act are arrested and justice served.