By Emma Nnadozie, Crime Editor & Knigsley Omonobi
LAGOS — Mobile policemen guarding the house of former President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in Abuja have allegedly burgled it, carting
away expensive properties worth millions of naira.

Reports on online portal, Premium Times, alleged that the theft was
carried out by three mobile policemen in the residence located at
No. 89, Fourth Avenue in the Gwarimpa district of Abuja.


This came as FCT Police Command disclosed, yesterday that a
case of theft had been reported against the policemen, saying the
suspects were being investigated.

In fact, the Police authorities said they would soon commence
orderly room trial of the policemen.

The stolen items, according to Premium Times, include “sets of
furniture, dozens of plasma television sets, refrigerators, air-
condition units and box-loads of clothes, such as designer suits
imprinted with the former president’s name, male and female Ijaw
traditional attires, lace materials and bowler hats.

“It was gathered that the three mobile police officers allegedly
conducted the systematic looting over a period of three months
beginning from around March 2016, until they totally stripped the
house of all movable items, which they sold piecemeal to dealers at
Panteka second-hand materials market at Tipper Garage,
Gwarimpa.

According to a security source involved in the investigation, by the
time family members of the former President were alerted to the
looting early this month, the house had been stripped bare.

On getting wind of the arrest of the policemen, two dealers who had
been main recipients of the stolen items were said to have closed
down their shops at Panteka market and have since remained at
large.


Whistle-blowing neighbour

The source revealed that the looting was discovered when a
neighbour noticed “severe damage in the house” and called a
member of President Jonathan’s family to ask whether the house
was undergoing renovation.

The former President was said to have personally gone to inspect
the property after which he reported the vandalism to the
Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

“After a team of officers dispatched to the scene confirmed the
crime, Mr. Idris was said to have ordered the arrest of the three
police officers who were still on guard duty at the residence. They
were arrested about two weeks ago,” the source stated.

A trader at Panteka market, who confessed to being close to one of
the fleeing buyers of the stolen items, according to sources, said
the police officers first brought some items to the market for sale in
early 2016.



Sgt Musa at Panteka Market

“It all started sometimes around March 2016 when a mobile police
sergeant came to Tipper Garage market and brought some items for
sale. He approached one of the wholesalers to buy them, but the
trader said he does not buy items from an unconfirmed owner.

“The officer who identified himself as Sergeant Musa told the trader
that he was one of the security men guarding Mr. Jonathan’s
private residence at Gwarimpa. He took the trader to follow him to
confirm that he was not a thief who had come to sell off stolen
properties in the market.

‘’The trader followed him to the residence where he met two other
policemen, an Inspector and a Sergeant. They convinced him that
the items were part of gifts to them,’’ the source said.

Sources said it was noticed subsequently that the stream of
transaction had no end, as Sergeant Musa continued to invite the
trader to the residence to pick up fresh items.

The source said: “At a point, the trader became scared when he
suspected foul play and told Sergeant Musa that he was no longer
interested in the transaction. However, the officer later got another
customer, a wholesaler in the market, who would eventually buy
almost 80 per cent of all the properties removed from President
Jonathan’s residence.

Jonathan had lived in the house for about a year when he was vice
president. His mother was also said to have lived in the house after
the former President moved to Aso Rock Villa upon becoming
Acting President in 2010.


Jonathan’s spokesman confirms burglary

When contacted, former President Jonathan’s spokesman,
Ikechukwu Eze, confirmed the development.

He said: “The house was burgled and I think the police is already
handling the case. I cannot confirm whether the case was reported
to the Inspector-General of Police or not but, I know they must
have made arrests.”


How looted property were sold

Premium Times in its report said that its undercover reporter went
to the Tipper Garage market and found out that both the purchase
and resale of the items were not hidden, as many of the traders
were aware of the racket.

“Whenever particular or specific items of our interest were brought
for sale from Mr. Jonathan’s residence, we used to buy from the
wholesaler who bought them in large quantity,” a trader said.

Further probes by the online portal confirmed that the traders sold
off the stolen items such as suits, women wears, traditional cloth
popularly called ‘babban riga,’ Ankara fabrics at about N5,000.00
apiece and bowler hats. It could, however, not be confirmed how
much the bowler hats were sold. A petty trader at the market said
he witnessed the sale of one of the sets of furniture.

“The policeman sold one to the wholesaler who is now on the run at
N50, 000.00. The wholesaler sold it at N180,000.00 to a lucky
buyer in the market who in turn instantly sold it at N390,000.00.
“I personally bought babban riga , and a suit with Jonathan’s name
printed underneath it at the cost of N5,000.00 each.”

The petty trader, who claimed to be an apprentice at Tipper Garage,
said they were scared when they heard that the three police officers
had been arrested in connection with the theft of the properties
from Mr. Jonathan’s residence.


Three Policemen to face Orderly Room Trial

Confirming, yesterday, that the policemen would face orderly room
trial, spokesman of FCT Police Command, DSP Anjuguri Manzah,
said in a statement: “The FCT Police Command wishes to inform
the general public that it has commenced full-fledged investigation
into the case of theft in the Gwarimpa residence of former
President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“Preliminary police investigation on the matter has revealed that
some items were found to be missing in the house.

“Meanwhile, the Policemen who are supposed to be on guard duty
at the house have been detained for questioning.

“Investigation to find out what actually happened is currently in
progress. The command wants to assure all that the result of
findings on the on-going investigation will be made public.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/08/3-policemen-face-trial-looting-jonathans-abuja-home/

mynd44

Hahaha, police self they thief. Chai the thing they for blood oops.

APC police well done o