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Enugu APC chieftain kidnapped, battered

Follow @NigeriaPI The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the police to arrest and prosecute the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Vitus Okechi, and the Vice Chairman-elect of Igboeze South Local Government Area, Mr. Sunday Ajogwu, for allegedly kidnapping its 2015 governorship candidate, Okey Ezea. The party accused the duo of allegedly working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and masterminding the kidnapping, torture and attempted murder of Ezea during the recent local government election in the state. The state APC Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, told reporters that Ezea was beaten to a pulp and kidnapped. The chairman said the police rescued him and took him to a hospital during the November 4 local government election in the state. He said Ezea only asked for the result sheet of the election and calling for a free and fair poll. Nwoye said despite Ezea’s statement at the divisional police headquarters in Igboeze South Local Government Area, the police had not arrested and prosecuted the hoodlums that attacked the former governorship candidate. But Okechi denied culpability in tha attack. The commissioner said Ezea was attacked by suspected thugs he brought to the election venue over possible disagreement on financial settlement. Police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said Ezea should rest assured that the culprits would be brought to justice, if he had lodged a complaint with the police. He said: “Chief Ezea ought to have gone to the divisional police headquarters where he reported the matter to find out the status of the matter before going to press. “He can also see the Commissioner...

Maryam Sanda arrested for stabbing ex-PDP national chair’s son to death

Follow @NigeriaPI The Nigerian Police has confirmed the arrest of Maryam Sanda for allegedly stabbing her husband, Haliru Bello to death. Bello, 35, son of Haliru Bello, a former chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has been buried according to Islamic rites in Abuja, after prayers at the National Mosque. Police Public Relations Officer, DPS Anjuguri Manzah, in a chat with newsmen, said that the suspect was arrested on Sunday night. He said that she would be charged to court after investigations have been concluded. According to the police, the investigation was being handled by its homicide department adding that investigation would be concluded soon. Haliru Bello’s death was not natural, as he was allegedly killed in his Maitama home in Abuja by his wife, Maryam Sanda. Maryam is the daughter of Maimuna Aliyu, former Aso Saving Bank executive. According to reports, Maryam allegedly killed her husband on Saturday night, stabbing him several times. Multiple reports online said she attacked her husband based on allegations of infidelity after seeing a text message on his phone. Maryam was said to have stabbed Bello, who would have clocked 36 on November 23, thrice in the back. She also reportedly stabbed him several times on his manhood. After stabbing him, she drove him to the hospital for treatment but he did not survive the attack. Anjuri Manza, spokesman of FCT police command, confirmed the murder : “We are investigating the matter,”he told the Cable. According to reports, it was not the first time Maryam would attack Bello violently. She once bit part of his ear off during an argument. Bello was...

Bomb blast kills many in Adamawa

Follow @NigeriaPI There has been a report of bomb blast in Mubi in Adamawa states with many casualties recorded. According to report by Hassan Shallpella he said ‘bomb blast in Mubi town, Adamawa state North-East Nigeria this morning, many casualties...

Chef drugs ex-minister, Kalu Idika, robs him of N10m

Follow @NigeriaPI The Lagos State Police Command has arrested Peter Odion, the chef of a former Minister of Finance, Dr Kalu Idika, for his involvement in the robbery of his boss. Odion lived with the ex-minister at 180A, Moshood Olugbani Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. He had allegedly put some sedatives into a cup of coffee he served the ex-minister on a Wednesday morning. After Idika slept off, Odion was said to have led his gang members into the boss’ apartment, where they made away with a sum of N750,000, a Blackberry, a Samsung phone and other valuables estimated at about N10m. Odion was paraded on Monday at the police command office in Ikeja along with four others identified as Samuel Ogana, Joy Omagu, Uboh Obi and Sunday Emmanuel. The state Acting Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, said operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau, tracked down the suspects. The CP said the gang members had wanted to adopt a similar method to rob one Mrs. Augustina Akhibi, when they met their Waterloo. He said, “The syndicate is made up of six members who specialise in getting jobs as cooks or home helps and while in service, gain the trust of their principals and inject their food with drugs to make them sleep off. They thereafter cart away their principals’ belongings. “The first victim, Dr Kalu Idika, was robbed of items worth N10,943,000 on September 20, 2017, while the second potential victim, Mrs. Akhibi, was used by the police as a bait to bust the syndicate.” He added that drug substances like Diazepam Injection, ground nitrogen (morgodon) table, and a syringe...

ICPC Chairman-Designate Challenges Nigerians To Report Financial Crimes

Follow @NigeriaPI The Executive Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Council Against Corruption (PACAC) and President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointee as chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanye, has said that Nigerians have the duty to report crimes and corrupt activities around them, stating that failure to do would amount to disregard for the law. Mr. Owasanye said this while delivering an address at the ‘Tracking Noxious Funds’ conference held at the Shoregate Hotels in Ikeja, Lagos. The conference, which has facilitators from Kent Law School at the University of Kent, and sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation with the Institute of International Education (IIE), had Mr. Owasanye talking about ‘Law and Practices of the Whistle Blower Policy of Nigeria; Scope of Citizen’s Participation’. In his address, he said the citizens have the responsibility to hold the government accountable and to put pressure on government officials so that they will always do the right things. “Citizens have a duty to report crimes. If citizens don’t report crimes, law enforcement agencies cannot do their job very well because they need the information the people have. The duty is both moral and legal. It enhances rule of law. It enhances security,” said Mr. Owasanye. He went further to state that corruption is the cause of many of the social and economic challenges Nigeria is currently facing. Hence, he opined that the people must join the government in fighting corruption because the government cannot combat the challenge alone. He said; “The public has a duty to constantly put pressure on the government. Every government all over the...

Wife stabs ex-PDP chairman’s son to death

Follow @NigeriaPI Bilyamin Bello, the son of a former Peoples Democratic Party Chairman, Haliru Bello, was on Saturday allegedly stabbed to death by his wife, Maryam Sanda. Sanda is the daughter of embattled former Aso Savings Bank boss, Hajia Maimuna Aliyu. The attack, it was gathered, resulted from an allegation of infidelity against Bilyamin by his wife after she saw a text message on his phone. Maryam stabbed her husband in the neck and chest while he slept in the bedroom at their home in Maitama, Abuja. After stabbing him, she was said to have taken him to a hospital where he gave up the ghost. The couple had a daughter together. A friend of the deceased, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said before the tragedy, Maryam had bit off part of Bilyamin’s ear, adding that he was treated at a hospital and later returned home. He was reportedly advised to leave the house for some time, but he refused. It was further gathered that the deceased was planning to divorce his wife before he was allegedly murdered. Bilyamin, a real estate developer and businessman, was said to have complained several times about his wife’s violent tendency to some family members and friends. “Maryam had attacked Bilyamin before the latest incident, which unfortunately led to his death. The two got married about two years ago when the former PDP chairman persuaded his son to marry Maryam. Everyone was shocked by Bilyamin’s death; it was sudden, unexpected and tragic,” a source said. It was learnt that the deceased had been buried on Sunday. The Federal Capital Territory Police Command...

Court told to wind up company over $265,492 debts

Follow @NigeriaPI A petition to wind up Geo-Fluids Limited, located in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, over alleged debt of $265,492 has been filed before the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt division. In an application for winding up, filed pursuant to sections 408, 409, and 410 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Cap, C20 LFN, 2004, by Eunisell Limited, through their counsel, Samuel Agweh, the petitioner is asking the court to wind up the respondent company and use the proceeds to settle its debts. Joined in the petition as respondent is Geo-Fluids Limited Managing Director, Dr Alali Ibanibo. In a 15-paragraph statement in support of the petition, Eunisell Limited averred that it supplied some products including several drums of emulsifier, corrosion inhibitor, rheology modifier, wetting agents etc, worth $265,492 to Geo-Fluids Limited, with LPOs Nos. POI-424 and POI-425, dated November 22, 2010 with waybills Nos 000366 and 00366B dated 20 and 28 November, 2010. The petitioner stated that a request for payment were made to the company on November 29, 2010 but it failed to honour it. This according to the petitioner made it to request for the winding of the company through its managing director, which he refused. Eunisell submitted that the respondents are not willing to pay for the goods, praying the court to wind it up to enable payment for the liquidation of the...

5 died, several hospitalised after drinking local gin in Imo

Follow @NigeriaPI Tragedy struck the Umunakara -Imerienwe autonomous community in Ngor -Okpala council area of Imo State, at the weekend, after five persons were confirmed dead with several others still battling for their lives in the hospital after consuming the local gin popularly called “Ogogoro” allegedly from methanol poisoning. This was just as Mr. Uwadiegwu Eze, an indigene of the village, the shop owner from where the victims had bought the local gin, known as Ginback, has fled from village. Daily Sun reliably gathered from indigenes of the community, had earlier patronised Mr. Eze from last Tuesday, started experiencing strange stiffness of the body and partial blindness at the weekend which had culminated in the death of five of the victims. It was equally learnt that the shop owner, who is now on the run, usually procure his local white gin from neighbouring Rivers State, but had apparently added high quantity of methanol into the gin in order to make more profits. According to the village chairman, Mr. Livinus Igbo, he disclosed that the victims, especially the deceased, had complained of excessive headaches, abdominal discomforts, partial blindness before their eventual death. He also stated that it was not only indigenes of the village who were affected, but several of others from neighbouring villages as they also patronise Eze. But for the quick intervention of Dr. Toe Ekechi, who had sent in a medical team from state Ministry of Health to the community, to save those who were still battling for survival, the casualty figure would have been higher. Hhead of the medical team, Dr. Okeji A.C, Director of Public...

Biafra: Why I cannot produce Kanu – Buratai tells court

Follow @NigeriaPI The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Thursday, asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to trash a suit seeking to compel him to produce the ‘missing’ leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu. A team of lawyers representing the embattled pro-Biafra agitator had in the suit, prayed the court to order Buratai to produce their client either dead or alive. The lawyers who were led by Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, told the court that they had not seen or heard from their client since September 14 when the Nigerian Army invaded his house “on a murderous raid, where life and mortar bullets were fired on unarmed and defenceless populace, leaving 28 persons dead and abducting many”. Pursuant to section 40 of the Federal High Court Act, F12, LFN 2005 and section 6(6) (1) (4) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, Kanu’s lawyers applied for “an order of Habeas Corpus ad subjiciendum, commanding the Respondent (Buratai), to produce the Applicant in Court”. However, in a counter-affidavit he filed in opposition to the suit, Buratai told the court that Kanu was never in custody of the Nigeria Army. He maintained that contrary to claims in the suit, soldiers who were deployed to the South-East for ‘Operation Python Dance II, did not have any contact whatsoever with Kanu on September 12 or 14, or anytime thereafter as alleged. The counter-affidavit read in part, “That the applicant (Kanu) is not and has never been in his custody or in the custody of any person, officer or institution receiving instruction directly or indirectly from him....

FG following investigations on death of 2 Nigerians in S/Africa

Follow @NigeriaPI The Federal Government says it is following police investigations on the death of two Nigerians in South Africa. A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Wednesday, signed by the Spokesperson, Mr Tope Elias-Fatile, said their death occurred in two separate incidents. “The mission informs that the first incident involved Mr Ikechukwu Mmanwoke Edmond, an indigene of Anambra State, who was murdered in front of his home in Marvern, a suburb of Johannesburg. “The second incident involved Mr Eluka Agu, who was beaten to death during a robbery alongside some unidentified persons in Olievenhoutbosch, Centurion, near Pretoria. “The Federal Government wishes to assure that the Consulate-General of Nigeria in Johannesburg has been following Police investigations on the sad development. The government further commiserated with families of the deceased. “Meanwhile, our missions in South Africa would continue to engage their host authorities to ensure the safety of Nigerians residing in various parts of the country.”...

Internet bank fraudsters now in recession, says CBN

Follow @NigeriaPI The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has claimed success in checking Internet fraudsters in the banking sector through various measures to prevent hacking into customers’ accounts. The deputy governor of the apex bank in charge of operations, Mr. Bayo Adelabu, who spoke at the 2017 retreat of the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF) held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, said the bank would continue to sanitise the financial sector. The event was attended by top officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), U.S Consulate, Lagos, Consumers Protection Council (CPC) and some commercial banks. Chairman, Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum, Dipo Fatokun said with the bank verification number in place, biometrics would soon be used for transactions. “That means if you want to transact with your ATM, you will need to use your biometrics. There is no way you can give your finger to a third party. If that is enabled, it will make our system to be more secure and make all our transactions to be validated.” Adelabu, in his keynote address, said in the age of digitalization and increased adoption of alternate forms of payment for goods and services, stakeholders must ensure security of operators and the consumers they intend to serve. The CBN commended the feats recorded in the last six years by NeFF, noting that the organization in collaboration with other stakeholders has successfully implemented the Cybercrime Prohibition and Prevention Act 2015. According to him, the retreat has re-enforced greater synergy among the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the forum and the entire payments industry. “At the CBN, we shall continue...

Boko Haram: 18 killed, 29 injured in Borno suicide attacks

Follow @NigeriaPI Reports from Muna garage area in Borno State show that suicide bombers have attacked a mosque during magrib (sunset) prayer. Police in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital has confirmed that eighteen people, including four suicide bombers died in the ensuing explosion that rocked the state this evenin. It was gathered that twenty-nine others were injured. A statement from DSP Isuku Victor, PPRO Borno State Police Command on Wednesday evening said, “Today 15/11/2017, at about 1813hrs, four suicide bombers, two males and two females, infiltrated Muna Gari community in konduga LGA, and detonated IED strapped to their bodies at different locations. “The first explosion occurred at a prayer ground, while the other explosions occurred thereafter, all within the community. “A total of eighteen persons including the four suicide bombers, died in the multiple explosions. “While twenty nine others sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to university of Maiduguri teaching hospital/State Specialist Hospital for medical attention.” According to the statement, Police patrol /EOD teams promptly mobilized to the scene to sanitize and render the area safe. The statement also said that normalcy had been restored to the community. SOURCE: DAILY...

Ex-Aide To Jonathan Did Not Declare 15m Shares – EFCC Witnes

Follow @NigeriaPI A witness on Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, did not declare 15 million shares he possessed in a secret company. A Senior Detective Superintendent with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Chukwuma Orji, gave the evidence at the resumed trial of Dudafa over N5.1 billion fraud. EFCC had arraigned Dudafa alongside one Joseph Iwejuo on 23-counts of conspiracy and concealment of crime proceeds. Led in conclusion of his evidence-in-chief by the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness told the court that following intelligence report, the commission uncovered a company known as Ibejige Services Ltd. He said that further investigations revealed that the mandate of the company had the signature of Dudafa and also bears his international passport. According to the witness, intelligence also showed that in July 2015, Dudafa signed as Chairman of the company, and that his wife was also a signatory to the company. Orji told the court that investigations revealed that Dudafa possessed 15 million shares in the said company, and had failed to declare it in his asset declaration. After his evidence, Oyedepo informed the court that he had closed his examination-in-chief with the witness. Meanwhile, under cross examination, defence counsel, Mr Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) asked the witness for his employment details. Orji, in response said: “I joined the commission between 2007 and 2008, and am currently a Senior Detective Superintendent.” On his educational qualification, he told the court that he possessed a degree and a masters degree in Engineering. When asked whether the accused was under any...

Kidnap of Briton: JTF launches manhunt for kingpin in Delta

Follow @NigeriaPI The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), has launched a manhunt for the leader of a kidnap gang identified as Karowei Gbakumor in Delta. The Commander, OPDS, Rear Adm. Suleiman Apochi, disclosed this on Wednesday when he visited Enekorogha community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta where four British Missionaries were kidnapped and one eventually died. Apochi was accompanied by the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, and the Commander, Sector 2 of the OPDS, Col. Alhassan Grema, and other military personnel. The commander, who described the abduction of the Britons as an international embarrassment, urged the community to assist the security agencies to fish out the criminal. Four British missionaries: David and Shirley Donovan, Ian Squire and Alanna Carson, who were providing free medical services to Enekorogha community where abducted on Oct. 13. Squire died in the captors’ den while the others regained freedom weeks later. Apochi said that the incident would be a setback to the community and the neighboring ones who benefited from the free medical service. “Now you see that the armed forces are not here to harm or sent to kill you, but to protect and make life conducive for you. “All we do is to make the environment safe for you. Nobody has come to take what belongs to you. “But you people think we have come to attack or harm you, now you see that your enemies are living next to you. “This unfortunate incident is an international embarrassment. “I want you to mobilise and find Gbakumor and let us know where...

Biggest Tax Fraud In US History: Nigerian Scammers Steal $11 Million From The IRS

Follow @NigeriaPI According to the US Attorney’s office for Oregon, a Nigerian man, Michael Oluwasegun Kazeem, 24, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his role in the bilking of over $11 million via an identity-theft scheme from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Kazeem, who came to the United States on a student visa, has been sentenced in federal court in the southern Oregon town of Medford on Nov. 8 for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and mail fraud. Kazeem has also been ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken to pay $4.3 million in restitution. Last August, Kazeem’s brother, Emmanuel Kazeem, was convicted in Medford of mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. The evidence was presented at his trial and showed Emmanuel Kazeem purchasing over 91,000 taxpayer identities from a Vietnamese hacker. Kazeem joined in 2013 to help his brother, who lived in Bowie, Maryland, and Nigeria. His brother’s sentencing is scheduled for March 22, 2018. In a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office, it was determined by an IRS criminal investigation that the co-conspirators obtained personal identifying information of more than 259,000 people, and used it to acquire over 19,500 electronic filing PINs from the IRS. The co-conspirators obtained and used pre-paid debit cards with the stolen identities to receive direct electronic tax refund deposits. They eventually filed over 10,000 fraudulent federal tax returns, attempting to obtain over $91 million in refunds, with actual losses amounting to over $11 million. Refunds were withdrawn from the debit cards and at least 2,000...