by Admin | Mar 27, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Kidnappers of a first year Accounting student of a private university in Lagos, Rachel Chukwuemeka, have reportedly demanded N10 million ransom for her release. The undergraduate, an only child, was abducted at her family’s abode in Epe area of the state last Thursday. Report had it that six armed men stormed the community at about 1a.m. in a Sienna car. Residents said they used an axe to break down the Chukwumas’ door and took the 16-year-old girl away. Attempts by her father to rescue her from the invaders grips, earned him machete cuts on different parts of his body. Residents, as gathered, rushed the injured man to an undisclosed hospital, after the armed men had gone. Information at Vanguard’s disposal said Rachel was driven to wharf area, from where they took her into a boat to an undisclosed destination A resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “From the way they operated, everyone suspected Rachel was their target. Chukwuemeka’s flat is fenced and it is located behind the main building. “Four of them scaled the fence into the compound, while two remained in the Sienna car. One, among the four, who jumped into the compound, was hooded. They went straight to Rachel’s flat and used an axe to break down the door. “While inside, they asked Mr. and Mrs Chukwuma where Rachel was. One of them went straight into her room to grab her. She screamed and cried and was in her pyjamas, almost naked. “They didn’t ask for anything else. They didn’t demand for money, nothing They were not armed robbers.” Some residents also...
by Admin | Mar 27, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI By Favour Nnabugwu INSURANCE companies in the country have stepped up measures to starve off fraud in the industry arising from cash transactions. The companies now prefer customers to pay through Point of Sale (PoS) terminals at their various locations and agency offices. For instance, AIICO Insurance Plc, said it will leave no stone unturned in its ongoing efforts to bring to book perpetrators of unethical and fraudulent activities uncovered in the company’s dealings with the insuring public. The Managing Director, Mr Edwin Igbiti, told journalists that one of its agents (names withheld), is presently being investigated for fraudulent practices relating to cash diversions and misrepresentation of the company. Igbiti said that AIICO Insurance is an underwriter of more than 50 years’ experience, the largest life underwriter in Nigeria and one of the biggest Insurance underwriters in the West African sub-region. He stated that the company has invested in technology and infrastructure to provide multiple payment channels for payment and renewal of Insurance policies. He added that the company encourages its customers to continue utilising these channels which provide instant automation of records. In the same vein, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc vowed to investigate the alleged unethical practices by some of its staff while pledging to prosecute anyone found to be involved. A statement signed by the Head, Corporate Communication, Ellen Offo, said the company remains firm in its drive to maintain and sustain its integrity. “We use this medium to assure our numerous customers that we shall prosecute anyone found to be complicit. Mutual Benefits has zero tolerance for fraud; therefore a report like this is...
by Admin | Mar 24, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Waleola Sunday, a pastor with the Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) Church in Akure, the Ondo State capital, was sentenced to three years in prison for child molestation on Wednesday. Mr. Sunday was jailed for defiling male children living near his church at Oke Aro area of Akure. Mrs. Victoria Bob-Manuel of the Akure Chief Magistrate Court sentenced him to prison after he was found guilty of the offense. A SaharaReporters correspondent reported that officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ondo State arrested the prophet after a tip-off. Ebiriku David, the legal officer of the NSCDC told the Court that the pastor was a “serial homosexual” who was in the habit of seducing young males. Barrister David said the offense of the prophet was against section 32 (1) of the Ondo State Child Right Law 2017. Our correspondent reported that the pastor, while pleading guilty before the court, blamed the devil for his escapades. The 32-year-old pastor revealed in his confessional statement that he had defiled more than four children in the neighborhood. “I always enter public schools during their break hours to approach most of these male students before carrying out the act. “And after this, I would take them to the bush and seduce before they returned back to their classes. “I believe it’s devils work because I would always come back to my senses after I molested the little boys,” he told the court. Ruling, Magistrate Bob Manuel jailed the accused pastor for three years at the Olokuta Prison yard in...
by Admin | Mar 24, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 37-year-old woman, Blessing Elochukwu, was on Thursday charged with stealing her employer’s N1.7 million at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court. The accused, a cashier, who resides at Agbara, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a charge of stealing. The prosecutor, Insp. Simeon Inuoha, told the court that the offence was committed between May and June 2016 at Agbara. “The accused, a cashier in a company, was unable to account for N 1.7million during the audit of the company’s account. “It was discovered that the money was not remitted to the company’s account. “When the accused was asked about it, she could not give a reasonable account of how the money got missing,” he said. Inuoha said that the money belonged to one Mrs Justina Ugbaja. The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty. The chief magistrate, Mrs B. O. Osunsanmi, granted the accused N300, 000-bail with two sureties in like sum. Osunsanmi adjourned the case until March 27 for...
by Admin | Mar 24, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Thursday sentenced a 35-year-old labourer, Shaibu Abas, to three months imprisonment for stealing a cell phone worth N64, 000. Abas, a resident of Utako area, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to two-count charge of joint act and stealing levelled against him. The judge, Mr Abubakar Sadiq, however, gave the convict N15,000 option of fine and warned him to be of good behaviour and desist from committing crimes after serving out his punishment. Earlier, the prosecutor, Mrs Auhioboh Florence, had informed the court that on March 16, one Victor Ubasi of No. 5 Adeyinki Adeoti Crescent, Wuse 2 Abuja, reported the case at Utako Police Station. Florence said that the complainant parked his car opposite a beer parlour at Wuse 2, whiles the convict and his accomplices, now at large, forcefully opened the car and removed the item. She said the accused and his gang stole a Tecno cell phone, valued at N64, 000 and ran away. The prosecutor said that the convict was arrested and he confessed to have sold the cell phone at N18, 000, to one Destiny at Wuse market. Florence said that the item was yet to be recovered and the offences contravened Sections 79 and 288 of the Penal Code Source: Today...
by Admin | Mar 24, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Nigeria Police said it has arrested one Umar Abubakar suspected to be the killer of the Kogi State chairman of Miyyati Allah association, Ibrahim Jalido. The shepherd was attacked and murdered in his Lokoja home, last year December. This was disclosed to newsmen in Lokoja today by William Aya, the state Police Public Relation officer, PPRO, while parading 20 suspects at the state police headquarter, Lokoja. Aya said the harvest of arrests was made possible following the new strategy developed by the new police commissioner, Wilson Inalegu in combating crimes in the state. Among the suspects paraded was one 18 years old girl, Happy Ameh who was paraded along with her three men gang for criminal conspiracy and Armed Robbery. Other suspects paraded are Adamu Lamun, Musa Audu, Bodori Ide, Enemons Godwin, Solomon Anthony, Happy Amen, Ekele Attah, Hassan Abdullahi, Ahmadu Panya, Yaro Ibrahim, and Jeremiah Olorunmowaju. Three of the suspect; Adamu Lamun, Musa Audu, Bodori Ide, were arrested for kidnapping of Hajia Aishatu Shehu on February 4 and released after collection of N500,000 ransom, “After collection of ransom, SARS operative swung into action through intelligence gathering and arrested the suspects. They led the operatives to Igalamela/odolu where the exhibits were recovered.” Speaking during interaction with newsmen, the teenager, Happy Amen confessed to the crime said she had only participated in there robbery cases. Items recovered from the suspects were; locally made pistols, dane guns, military uniform, 150 wraps of Indian hemp, 20 empty cartridges shell, cutlasses amiss other dangerous weapon. The police said the renewed clampdown on criminals will be sustained in the State. Source:...
by Admin | Mar 24, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, 22nd March, 2017 secured another conviction in the ongoing N8bn Currency Mutilation Scam before Justice Joyce Abdul Malik of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State. In her ruling, the judge convicted and sentenced the duo of Toogun Kayode Philip and Afolabi Esther Olunike, former staff of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Wema bank respectively to eighteen years imprisonment on three counts to run concurrently. The convicts who were the 4th and 5th defendants amongst other former bankers standing trial in the ongoing CBN N8bn currency mutilation scam opted for a plea bargain hence, they were convicted accordingly. While Toogun, a former staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN bagged a three-year jail term on counts 15, 17 and 19 respectively to run concurrently with effect from January 1st, 2016 , Afolabi got three years on counts 16, 18 and 19 respectively to also run concurrently with effect from January 1st , 2016. The court also ordered that Toogun forfeits to the Federal Government a 3 bedroom apartment situated at Oganla area, off Omi Adio Apata Ibadan, Oyo State, the entire sum in his Access bank and First bank accounts with all the accrued interest as at the date of the conviction. Afolabi forfeits a 5 bedroom duplex situated at No.8 Fatoke Street, Molete area of Ibadan, a borehole machine/rig, a filing station- Oba Oil Gas Limited located at Liberty Academy area of Ibadan, Oyo State. She shall also forfeit the entire sum in her accounts with First bank, Zenith bank and Guaranty Trust bank respectively. The...
by Admin | Mar 24, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The trial of Giwa Useni John, Pius Iorye Uganden and Nancy Uganden for a N30 million fraud continued on March 21, 2017 before Justice O.A. Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Lugbe, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, presenting two witnesses against them. They are facing a five-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, to which on March 7, 2017they pleaded “not guilty”. They are alleged to have disguised as members of the Ad-hoc committee on the sale of Federal Government of Nigeria Houses in the FCT with the “intent to obtain money under false pretence”. The fraud was allegedly committed in 2013. At the resumed sitting, the first witness, Emeka Adiele, a lawyer, while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rimamsomte Ezekiel, gave insight into how a petition by Phillip Chukweke, sometime in April 2016 exposed the shady activities of the defendants. “I received his complaint, in which he alleged that the defendants, defrauded him in a business deal in which he wanted to buy one property located at 3, Zinguinchor Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja,” he said. He further told the court that Chukweke, who is also the Managing Director of Communication Towers Nigeria Limited, and the defendants, signed a Memorandum of Understanding and payment plan agreement. “However, after the initial deposit of N30 million by Chukweke, he was given forged receipt by the defendants in respect of the said property,” he added. He further explained that the said property was valued at N250 million, and that “after six months, the defendants failed to raise the necessary allocation...
by Admin | Mar 24, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI NDLEA operatives apprehended one Roland Chukwudi Tochukwu, 37, with 2.045kg of heroin imported from Nairobi, Kenya. Another suspect, Maduka Nnemeka Peter, 39, was also caught attempting to export 1.555kg of cocaine to Dubai from Lagos. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested two individuals for narcotics possession at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Thursday. NDLEA operatives apprehended one Roland Chukwudi Tochukwu, 37, with 2.045kg of heroin imported from Nairobi, Kenya. The NDLEA disclosed that the suspect also possessed a fake ticket indicating that he was traveling from China. NDLEA spokesman Mitchell Ofoyeju said that he intentionally carried the fake travel ticket from China to circumvent security checks. “Preliminary investigation by the anti-narcotic agency revealed that Tochukwu deliberately replaced his ticket with a fake one showing that he was coming from China instead of Nairobi,” Mr. Ofoyeju said. “This was intended to place him on a low risk profile, but his expectations were dashed as the heroin concealed inside his luggage was detected during a screening of passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight.” Commenting on the arrest, NDLEA Commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba, added that drugs are more expensive in Asia, so passengers from Asian countries are generally not suspected to be trafficking drugs from there. “The suspect wanted to distract the attention of officers by presenting himself as coming from China while he actually took off from Nairobi. This is because it is economically unwise to bring narcotics from China where the price is far higher than here in Nigeria,” Mr. Garba said. Another suspect, Maduka Nnemeka Peter, 39, was...
by Admin | Mar 23, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Two illegal immigrants who are said to be Beninese have been arrested by the men of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service. The suspects were Alagbe Ogunde (35) and Yaguenu Tonye (56). They were said to have been arrested at an immigration point at Olorunsogo via Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government Area of the state. Briefing journalists at the command’s headquarters in Abeokuta on Thursday, the state Comptroller of Immigration Service, Ajibola Bayeroju, said the suspects were criminally-minded, adding that one of them, Alagbe, was an ex-convict in Republic of Benin. Bayeroju said, “The suspects were intercepted in one of the immigration points around Olorunsogo after Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government Area. “One of the suspects, Alagbe, confessed in his statement to have been involved in criminal acts and subsequently jailed in Republic of Benin sometimes back.” Alagbe who claimed the ownership of the two locally-made pistols while speaking with journalists, said he made the pistols to protect himself “from any form of attack.” The suspect was also said to have confessed that he had an intention of attacking officers of the NIS at Ohunbe /Obelle Control Post. However, Bayeroju, said the command would continue to raid border communities to rid the state of illegal immigrants and other miscreants. He said the items recovered from the suspects were the two locally-made pistols loaded with ammunition, assorted charms, dagger, gunpowder, bank savings and withdrawal booklets and a bunch of keys. Bayeroju said the suspects would be handed over to the state police command for further investigation. He said, “We want to assure the...
by Admin | Mar 23, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The list of suspects wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has grown in number by 57 percent in the last a year. In January 2016, there were 37 people on the list, but the number has increased to 86 by March 2017, according to the records published on the EFCC website. The suspects include the likes of ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, more commonly known as Tompolo, and the former governor of Jigawa State, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki. Tompolo is wanted in a case of conspiracy, illegal diversion of the sum of N45 billion belonging to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), while Mr. Turaki is wanted in connection with a case of misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N36 Billion. Six of the suspects that have escaped arrest for more than one year are bankers. Bawa Thomas Momodu, ex-Sterling Bank Plc staff, is wanted in connection with a case of criminal conspiracy, stealing, forgery and money laundering. Mr. Momodu is alleged to have fraudulently stolen a total of N27 million from a customer’s account. Also, a former staff of Fidelity Bank Plc, Sapele branch, Delta State, Emeka Charles Ekekwe, is wanted for stealing N146 million. Others are Geraldine Karina Faikabuna of Diobu Microfinance, who was accused of stealing N52 million, and Godswill Oyegwa Uyoyou. Mr. Uyoyou, an IT staff of a bank, is alleged to have fraudulently connived with some scammers and hacked into his bank’s database in order to steal the sum of N6.28 billion. Meanwhile, Justice Simon Aboki of the State High Court sitting in Mararaba, Nasarawa...
by Admin | Mar 23, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Department of State Services (DSS) has dismantled Boko Haram’s aggressive fundraising operations to finance its plans through kidnapping, armed robbery and gun-running. In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the DSS said it was questioning two suspects, Ibrahim Sule and Bello Shehu, who were arrested on March 13, at Nasarawa town in Kaduna State for alleged involvement in the kidnap of two Germans – Dr. Peter Breuning and Johannes Brehinger – at Pahkogo village in Kaduna State on February 22. According to the DSS, about 32 suspected members of Boko Haram, kidnapping and other criminal gangs were arrested in operations conducted in Ekiti, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Kogi states between February and March. The statement said: “Determined to sustain the prevailing peace and stamp out all cases of kidnapping in various states where it is taking root, the Service staged vigorous operations, which recorded successes. “The duo of Ibrahim Sule and Bello Shehu were arrested on March 13, 2017 at Nasarawa town, Nasarawa Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State for their suspected involvement in the kidnap of two German nationals – Dr. Peter Breuning and Johannes Brehinger – on February 22, 2017 at Pahkogo, Kagarko LGA, Kaduna State. “On March 20, 2017, a suspected Boko Haram kingpin, Adenoyi Abdulsalam, was arrested in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State by a Joint Military/DSS operation team and an Ak-47 rifle was recovered from the suspect, who is presently undergoing investigation; Abdulsalam was in the final stages of kidnapping some high level targets in Ekiti, not only to raise funds but to terrorise communities in the State. “Prior to...
by Admin | Mar 23, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Lawal Babachir, said he would not honor the Senate’s invitation on Thursday over the handling of funds for North-East rehabilitation. This is because he has headed to the court to challenge the propriety of the invitation and is being investigated on the issue. An ad hoc Committee on Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East investigating allegations of misappropriation of funds for rehabilitation of the region had invited the SGF to a public hearing on the issue. The invitation was dated March 15 and it asked the SGF to appear on Thursday. The SGF was formally invited after his indictment by the committee at the first public hearing on the matter, for which the presidency had said that he (SGF) was not given fair hearing. In the letter to him, the committee had indicated that the essence of the second public hearing was another opportunity of fair hearing for stakeholders who refused to attend the first hearing. But, in a letter to the Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Sen. Shehu Sani, in Abuja on Wednesday, the SGF said that rather than attend the hearing, he was challenging the invitation at the court. The letter signed by the SGF read: “Your letter of invitation to appear before the above committee refers. “I wish to kindly request that you draw the attention of the other members of the committee that I will not be able to appear before the committee primarily because I have gone to court to challenge the invitation among others. “Please find attached the court documents.” The President...
by Admin | Mar 23, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Policemen at Isheri-Osun Division of the Lagos State command have arrested a suspected member of a robbery gang that invaded a building in Ijedodo area of the state at the weekend. The robbery gang was alleged to have raped a female victim in the building and abandoned the breadwinner, simply identified as Morris, in the pool of his blood to die. They also carted away the victims’ phones, cash, household appliances as well as foodstuff. It was gathered that the four man-robbery gang scaled the fence of the bungalow building and entered into the sitting room through the kitchen, spending close to three hours in the apartment. They forced Moris’s door open and immediately attacked him with a rod and a pestle until he passed out. Not done, they tied the victim’s hands and legs with strings and locked up his wife, two children and maid in another room. Suspected leader of the gang was said to have taken Morris’ sister-in-law to the toilet where she was raped and locked up. Thereafter, they went to the refrigerator, where they entertained themselves with some bottles of wine and soft drinks before they set out of the compound. Luck, however, ran out on them after one of the robbers, Joseph Nwadinobi, was apprehended by members of the vigilance group in the area. Speaking with The Guardian, the 24-year-old suspect, who claimed to be a trader at Alaba International Market, along Mile Two-Badagry Expressway, said he got only N2,000 from the loot. According to the Anambra State-born suspect, “I had a shop at Ikotun, which was burgled. In my quest...
by Admin | Mar 23, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The two Chinese nationals and Chinedu Madubuike, a Nigerian who was also involved in the scheme, are to deposit N10m with two sureties in like sum. Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos has ordered the two Chinese nationals, Taolung Shem, 36, and Xu Jimg Yao, 22, involved in a N5b tire fraud scheme to deposit their international passports and residence permits to the court registrar as part of their bail conditions. The two Chinese nationals and Chinedu Madubuike, a Nigerian who was also involved in the scheme, are to deposit N10m with two sureties in like sum. Justice Olatoregun added that the sureties must be within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court. The companies involved, Sino Nigeria Limited and Nedeca International Limited, were ordered to deposit N10m in bond. The defendants were arrested in Lagos by the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) monitoring and enforcement team for allegedly importing tires which did not meet Nigerian industrial standards In a five-count charge filed against the defendants by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the defendants were alleged to have conspired among themselves to import tires which did not meet the relevant Nigerian industrial standards through means of stuffing various sizes of tires into one. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the five-count charges. Justice Olatoregun adjourned to May 15 for the commencement of the trial. Yusuf Lawan, the prosecutor from the office of the AGF, informed the court that he would bring four witnesses to court to testify. Source: Sahara...
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