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Police charge two for alleged false info regarding raid at Ekweremadu’s residence

Follow @NigeriaPI The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday arraigned a 50 year old man, Ahmed Echodo, for allegedly misleading the police force, to conduct a raid at a residense belonging to the deputy Senate president, Ike Ekeremadu, on Friday. According to the one-count charge, two defendants were accused of the offense, though only Mr. Echodo was arraigned at a magistrate court in Abuja. Security operatives had ransacked Mr. Ekweremadu’s residense on Friday morning in search of evidense, following information indicting occupants in the residense of criminal offences, but found nothing. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that security officers at residense located in Ganges street Maitama Abuja, told this paper that the raid was conducted by Police officers, under the instruction of the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris. Although that information was denied by the force public relations officer, Moshood Jimoh; the force on Tuesday charged two men on a one-count for misleading the Nigeria Police. According to the charge, the men; Mr. Echodo and Maiwada Adamu are accused of conspiring to falsely inform the office of the IGP that Mr. Ekweremadu’s residense at number 10 Ganges Street, Maitama, Abuja, and occupied by Oliver Ogenyi is been maintained and used for criminal activities such as rhe maintance of arms and ammunitions. The second accused Mr. Adamu was not in court while the first defendant pleaded not guilty to th charge. The prosecution counsel, Ismail Tawo, informed the court that Mr. Adamu was at large. The Magistrate, Umar Kagarko, asked the police to find Mr. Adamu and present him in court at the next sitting. Counsel to the defense, Peter Ngwoke...

Lagos students: We won’t negotiate with kidnappers – Police

Follow @NigeriaPI In the wake of the alleged N1 billion ransom demanded by abductors of six students from Igbonla Model School, near Epe, Lagos, the Lagos State Police Command has said it would “not negotiate with the kidnappers.” The police spokesperson, Olarinde Famous-Cole, said on Monday that “it is the statutory responsibility of the police to keep the children safe, which is paramount and that’s what we are concerned about.” The Punch newspaper had reported that parents of the children were contacted on Saturday and allowed to briefly speak with their children. They also stated that while two of the parents were asked to pay N400 million each, another two were told to raise N100 million per child. The parents were reportedly told to meet with the school authorities and the state government to raise the money. “Since we are all a party to the incident that happened, we are playing our roles as security agents to get those kids out of the hands of those militants,” said Mr. Famous-Cole. “We are certainly liaising with the school and the government and the parents as regards some of the things we can share with them as per security intelligence.” “The kids are safe, but we are just trying to get them out and that’s what important,” the police spokesperson said. The students were abducted at around 5 a.m. last Thursday by gunmen who arrived through a creek behind the school. The hoodlums broke through the school’s fence to gain access into the premises. The incident occurred seven months after gunmen kidnapped two teachers and four pupils of the same school....

Mother jailed 26 years for drowning her kids

Follow @NigeriaPI A mother who fled conflict and admitted killing three of her children and attempting to murder a fourth by driving her car into a lake was jailed for 26 years in Australia on Tuesday. Akon Guode, who came to Australia after fleeing civil war in South Sudan, plunged the vehicle into the lake on the outskirts of Melbourne in 2015, killing one-year-old son Bol and four-year-old twins Hanger and Madit. Rescuers pulled her and five-year-old daughter Alual from the sinking vehicle. In handing down his sentence, Justice Lex Lasry said the 37-year-old suffered from post traumatic stress syndrome but why she had driven into the lake remained a “tragic mystery”. “The sentence I’m about to impose is in some respects inadequate to reflect the gravity of what you’ve done, yet at the same time excessive given your mental state and your background of hardship and desperation,” he said. Nonetheless “these are obviously grave offences”, Lasry added. “These children trusted you as their mother as they were entitled to do. Your betrayal of that trust had catastrophic consequences whatever the true reasons were for your consequences.” The defence told the court Guode suffered severe psychological trauma from the civil war. Witnesses said before the tragedy Guode had complained of receiving threats from the estranged wife of the children’s father — with whom she had been having a long affair — and had isolated herself from the Sudanese community. The mother-of-seven’s eldest daughter had previously told the court she was concerned about Guode’s driving as she had been experiencing dizzy spells for six months leading up to the deaths....

Ladoja, Balogun drag Ajimobi to court over plan reforms on Olubadan

Follow @NigeriaPI Two prominent members of Olubadan-in-Council, High Chief Lekan Balogun and High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, who are Otun and Osi Olubadan respectively, have dragged Governor Abiola Ajimobi to court over his plan to tinker with the 1957 Chieftaincy Law. The 1957 chieftaincy Law among others, stipulates succession order to the throne of the Olubadan of Ibadanland. Ajimobi is planning a new law to make room for more beaded crowns in Ibadan because of its current cosmopolitan nature. But Senators Ladoja and Balogun, would have none of that as they are asking the state High Court in the suit number m/317/2017 to restrain the seven-member Judicial Commission of Inquiry from sitting, accepting any memorandum or in any way taking any step in furtherance of its assignment, pending the determination of motion on notice in respect of the subject. Ajimobi, on May 19, inaugurated the judicial panel headed by retired Justice Akintunde Boade, with the mandate to, among others, review the existing requirement and qualification for ascendancy to the throne of the Olubadan and submit its report in four weeks. In the suit filed by their counsel, Michael Lana, on Friday, the Otun and Osi Olubadan contend that the judicial panel said by Ajimobi to have been constituted under Sections 10, 12 and 25 of the Chiefs Law 2000 was invalid, as the governor lacked the power to change or amend the customary law relating to the selection of Olubadan. The claimants said the primary aim of the Chiefs Law was that traditional institutions must be guided and operated not in accordance with modern dictates as argued by the governor...

EFCC Arrested Man For N69Million Fraud

Follow @NigeriaPI The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 22, 2017, arraigned a suspected fraudster, Oladipo Adedokun, alongside Lorient Habour Hotel Limited before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the State High Court, Ikeja, on a four-count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheques and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N69, 605,000.00 (Sixty-nine Million, Six Hundred and Five Thousand Naira). One of the charges read: “That you, Oladipo Tajudeen Adedokun and Lorient Habour Hotel Limited, on or about the 27th day of September, 2012, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently obtained the sum of Sixty- nine Million, Six Hundred and Five Thousand Naira (N69, 605, 000.00) from the Nigeria Navy on the false representation that you had Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand US Dollar (10, 000 Pounds Sterling) to sell to the Nigeria Navy’’ The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against him. Although the defendant was not represented by his counsel in court, Justice Ipaye ordered him to get in touch with his counsel in readiness for the continuation of trial. source: solenzo...

Blogger Arrested In Lagos For Defrauding Uk-based Activist Of Millions

Follow @NigeriaPI Anyone can commit a crime; either a pastor, banker, student or blogger. It’s not about their profession or calling, it’s about an individual’s ability to overcome greed. A Nigerian blogger, Apeh Peterhot has been arrested by the Nigerian Police in Lagos. The Benue born Blogger had allegedly opened a facebook pseudo account in the name of Queen Ann Ochoga and used it to defraud Mr. Philip Agbese, to the tune of N2.2m. An innocent pregnant woman, Ann Johnson, was implicated in the said fraud, as the blogger cunningly used her bank account details, under the pretence that he had issues with his BVN. Luck, however, ran out of him, when the pregnant woman turned herself in at the police station and made confessional statement. The culprit, who has been on the run for days, was arrested Tuesday afternoon, following a coordinated operation of civilians and undercover policemen, following a tip off. He is currently being held at Idimu Police Station, Area M, Alimoso Division of Lagos command, pending a signal from the FCT command, where the matter is being handled. source: solenzo...

Kidnappers demand N1bn ransom for four abducted Lagos pupils

Follow @NigeriaPI Kidnappers of six pupils of Igbonla Model College, Epe, Lagos State, have contacted some parents of the victims, demanding N1bn ransom to release them. The parents were contacted on Saturday and allowed to briefly speak with their children. While two of them were asked to pay N400m each, another two were told to raise N100m per child. They were reportedly told to meet with the school authorities and the state government to raise the money. However, details of ransoms demanded from the remaining parents had yet to be ascertained by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report. The gunmen had gained entry into the school premises at about 6am on Thursday through the creek at the back of the college and headed for the boys’ hostel after breaking the school fence. They broke the hostel doors, seized 10 senior secondary school pupils and led them to the shore where their boat was parked. After profiling their family backgrounds, four pupils were released, while the assailants whisked away the remaining six pupils identified as Peter Jonah, Isiaq Rahmon, Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Philips and Farouq Yusuf. It was reported that the gunmen had written the school authorities three days before the incident, informing them of the attack. They made good their threat in the dawn after policemen and soldiers, who repelled an attack around 8pm on Wednesday, left the school. In the wake of the abduction, parents and guardians thronged the college to pick their children and wards, blaming the incident on the poor security in the school. Some parents of the abducted schoolchildren,...

Woman arrested for selling her children in Lagos

Follow @NigeriaPI The policemen attached to Area M Command, Idimu, Lagos have arrested a housewife for allegedly selling four out of her five children to different buyers without the knowledge of her husband. The woman simply identified as Vicky was arrested following a petition by her husband to the Area Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Austines Akika. Police sources said the suspect was selling the children one after the other and successfully sold four, leaving out only one, PM express reported It was learnt that she lied to her husband that she took the kids to their relation until the husband later discovered she has sold them. Her strange commercial activity was exposed after she sold the last child for N400,000 and her husband was tipped by a neighbour. The husband reported to the police and she was arrested and detained at the Command cell. She was said to have already confessed to the police while efforts were already being made to rescue the children and arrest the buyers. It was reported that the woman was able to carry out the illegal sales without her husband’s knowledge because the husband, who rented an apartment in Idimu area of Alimosho local government, works outside Lagos, where he stays during the week and returns home weekend or monthly. It was gathered that the woman told her husband that she took the kids to her relatives to cover her tracks. The woman is still in detention while the police are carrying out investigations to locate the whereabouts of the children. source: the...

Seized $43bn: I have evidence money belongs to Rivers State, will soon release it – Wike insists

Follow @NigeriaPI Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, says he has evidence showing that the huge cash recently seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos State belongs to his state government. Featuring on Channel’s television, Wike disclosed that at the appropriate time, the evidence will be revealed for the world to see. The governor said he would not give any evidence yet, so that the Federal Government would not know the state government’s moves. He said, “The ultimatum I gave on the recovered money hasn’t elapsed. Yes, I did that, but you have lawyers working with you. They tell you; wait, we don’t want to go by the way you have said. Although I am a lawyer too, I am sitting as a governor. I am directly affected and emotionally involved. “The so-called government has set up a committee. Let’s wait and see what the committee would say. Let’s see whether they will or will not invite the state government. “We cannot make submissions to the committee because you don’t know where they meet; you don’t know where they sit. Everybody knows the money belongs to Rivers State. Who are all the people making contentions about the money? They are the same government. Don’t mind that the NIA DG was not appointed by the present government. He was in government. “Despite claims by the NIA DG, the CBN came out to say, ‘how did you get this money? We didn’t give you any money.’ Who would release such volume of dollars to a government agency and security agency? Where would it...

Police confirm arrest of IPOB, MASSOB members

Follow @NigeriaPI The Police in Ebonyi on Saturday confirmed the arrest of some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in various part of the state for alleged unlawful sensitisation programme. The command’s spokesman, DSP Jude Madu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the arrested suspects also included members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). Madu said that the suspects were arrested for unlawfully sensitising the public to stay at home on May 30, in observance of the group anniversary. DSP Jude Madu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the arrested suspects also included members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). The Police in Ebonyi on Saturday confirmed the arrest of some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in various part of the state for alleged unlawful sensitisation programme. The command’s spokesman, DSP Jude Madu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the arrested suspects also included members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). Madu said that the suspects were arrested for unlawfully sensitising the public to stay at home on May 30, in observance of the group anniversary. “They would be charged to court and the command would ensure that they are duly prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others. “IPOB and MASSOB are illegal groups and did not get permission from the police to embark on such exercise which threatens the peace and security of the state. “The command with the...

Man, 37, bags 10-year jail term for rape in Yobe

Follow @NigeriaPI The Magistrate Court sitting in Damaturu of Yobe State has sentenced a 37 year-old year man, Khaji Nujiya for 10 years imprisonment, with no option of fine for raping 14-year old girl. The prosecutor, Barrister Fatima Alhaji Mohammed, told the court on Friday that the case was reported at the Garin Alkali police division by one Mohammed Arania of Koromari village in Bursari local government area of Yobe state, on September 9, 2016. He told the court that on the same date, the accused person, Khaji Nujiya of same address, stopped his daughter, Zainab Mella, aged 14 while she was on her way to fetch animal feed in the bush, where he forcefully had a sexual intercourse with her against her consent. As a result, she told the court, the victim sustained injury on her private part, adding that the offence is punishable under section 283 of the penal code law.In his judgment, the presiding judge, Abubakar Lambart Maluri, told the court that, having taken into consideration the submissions of the prosecutor and the defense council for the accused, he is satisfied that the prosecutor has proved the charges against the accused person beyond all reasonable doubt as required by law. He therefore convicted the accused person and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment with no option of fine in addition to the compensation payments of N50, 000 to the victim. However, speaking to our reporter after the judgment, the prosecutor, Barrister Fatima Alhaji Mohammed, who is also a member of women lawyers activist in the state fighting for the defense of the rights women and the...

NDLEA intercepts dried cannabis shipped from Ghana

Follow @NigeriaPI Anti-narcotic officials with Seme Border Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Lagos have intercepted 5,863 kilogrammes of compressed dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis. “The illicit drug consignments originating from the republic of Ghana through the water ways were seized in two separate operations at Badagry, Lagos State,” the agency said in a statement on Friday. Four suspected drug traffickers including a Ghanaian were also apprehended in connection with the seized drugs, worth N60 million according to the agency, while two vehicles used in conveying the drug have been impounded. NDLEA commander at Seme Border, Udotong Essien, said the twin shipment of cannabis were made within 48 hours. “The first consignment of cannabis weighing 3,525kg was discovered in a clandestine warehouse where a Ghanaian and two female Nigerians were apprehended,” said Mr. Essien. “The suspects are a 38-year-old Ghanaian, Adoboe Nana Shelter as well as two female Nigerians Falilat Sadiq, and Mary Ige Joseph both 39 years old. “The following day, the Command made a similar seizure of cannabis weighing 2,338kg being smuggled in a bus meant for distribution in Lagos. A male suspect, Bola Adigun, was equally arrested in respect of the second seizure.” The NDLEA said the criminal group specialises in smuggling compressed cannabis through the water ways into the country and use yellow commercial bus to supply to dealers within Lagos. They also use ladies who pretend to be legitimate traders conveying their wares to preferred destinations, the agency added. The Ghanaian who claimed to be a fisherman said in his statement that he illegally imported cannabis into the country...

EFCC Seizes Bank Accounts, Mansion Belonging To Jonathan’s Godson And Ex-NDDC Official, George Turnah

Follow @NigeriaPI Bank accounts and properties traced to a former Special Adviser to Dan Abia, former managing director of Niger Delta Commission (NDDC), George Turnah have been confiscated by the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The take over was completed yesterday, May 25, following a temporary forfeiture order granted the Commission by a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. One of the properties covered by the forfeiture order and which had been attached by the EFCC is a massive complete building known as “KOLO VILLA” in Kolo Town, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Other properties will soon be attached. It would be recalled that Justice Ibrahim Watilat granted the interim forfeiture order based on an application filed before the court by the EFCC’s counsel, Adebola Olatunji. Turnah, together with seven companies, were arraigned on a 12-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretense, money laundering and abuse of office to the tune of N3, 094, 268, 235.69( Three Billion, Ninety Four Million, Two Hundred and Sixty Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty Five Naira, Sixty Nine kobo) . source: Nigerian...

Lagos police arrest fraudster who uses fake bank alerts to dupe people

Follow @NigeriaPI – A 34-year-old fraudster, Tunde Olaogun, was arrested by the Lagos state police – He was accused of using fake bank alerts and fake cheques to dupe people – Olaogun was arrested after petitions from individuals and banks. The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has arrested a 34-year-old man called Tunde Olaogun, for his alleged involvement in several fraudulent activities. Olaogun, popularly called Mr CEO by friends, is a microbiologist and dismissed civil servant. He was arrested by officials of Rapid Response Squad. According to a statement by the RSS, Olaogun was arrested after RSS officers acted on phone report by one Kelvin Oyenuga, to RRS Control Room over the supply of 25 units of HP laptop to the Lagos state Ministry of Works, Alausa, through Olaogun Tunde. Olaogun, through connections was linked up with Oyenuga for the supply of 25 laptops amounting to N4,625,000. In making a N2.5 million payment before delivery, Olaogun initiated a fake online transfer from a Keystone Bank to Oyenuga’s GTB account. He immediately showed a fake debit alert on his phone to Oyenuga. On delivery, the same day, he issued another dud cheque of N2.125 million. For more than two months, Olaogun employed one trick or the other to buy time for himself while he offered the 25 laptops he bought from Oyenuga to a Lagos Island computer dealer, at N150,000 each, a N35,000 short of the initial buying price. To settle the Oyenuga case, Olaogun had requested RRS officers to follow him to Lagos Island to retrieve the 25 laptops from the buyer. According to him: “I had an understanding with...

EFCC clamp down: Raymond Dokpesi, 5 others in court today across Nigeria.

Follow @NigeriaPI On Wednesday, May 24, 2017, several Nigerians are in courts across the country on corruption charges, for amounts going into billions of naira. As at May 24, there are at least 6 corruption cases in court according to a list and infographic published by TransparencITng. Below is a list of the cases in court, the amounts involved and the judges: 1. Chief Raymond Dokpesi Chief Raymond Dokpesi, the former chairman of Daar communications, is on trial at the Federal High Court, Maitama Abuja. The EFCC has accused him of N2.1bn money laundering and he is to be arraigned in front of Justice J. Tsoho. 2. Emeka Mba The former Director General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission alongside three others is accused of N2.8bn money laundering by the EFCC. The case is before Justice Gabriel Kolawole at the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja. 3. Mahmud Deji Sambo Mahmud Deji Sambo with one other staff of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Borno state have been accused of N58m fraud by the EFCC. They stand trial before Justice M. I. Salihu at the Federal High Court, Maiduguri. 4. Adeola Dada A legal practitioner Adeola Dada and one other are on trial in front of Justice O. Ipaye at the State High Court, Ikeja, Lagos. They are accused of N15m fraud by the EFCC. 5. Maikudi Ibrahim Maikudi Ibrahim Abubakar, a Bauchi state official has been accused of N1.9m fraud and is on trial at Federal High Court, Bauchi before Justice A. M. Shittu. 6. Charles Ebue Charles Ebue, the proprietor of the Richmond university and two others have being...