by Admin | Mar 15, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI George Turnah, a godson of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was on Monday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr. Turnah was accompanied to the mid-morning event at the commission’s zonal office in the city by several lawyers, including a professor of law and two Senior Advocates of Nigeria. He was reportedly questioned on issues relating to fraud and the misappropriation of funds belonging to the Niger Delta Development Commission. SaharaReporters learnt that several bank accounts relating to Mr. Turnah, including individual and corporate accounts as well as his children’s Education Insurance Account, have been frozen by the anti-graft commission. Mr. Turnah has however maintained he has never been a public officer and could not have had access to public funds and as such could not have misappropriated or laundered such funds. Source:...
by Admin | Mar 14, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 45-year-old man, John Ekundayo, has been remanded in Agodi Prison by an Ibadan magistrate’s court for refusing to bury his dead wife, Mrs. Bukola Alabede and keeping the corpse in his room. Though there was no evidence that the accused mutilated the remains of his wife, Vanguard learned that the offensive odour of the corpse compelled the neighbour of the accused, who lives at NW2/403 to raise alarm that led to his arrest. The accused was arraigned on a count charge of allegedly “offering indignity to the dead human body by abandoning her in his room.” According to the charge sheet, signed by DSP Sunday Unwanbueze, “the accused, on February 28, at about 6.30a.m, at NW2/403 Okebuyi compound, Idikan, Ibadan, did improperly or indecently interfere with or offer indignity to the dead human body of one Mrs. Bukola Alabede by abandoning her in your room apartment without lawful justification or excuse of deceased relatives and, thereby, committed an offence contrary to and punishable MI/323c/2017.” He pleaded not guilty. Chief Magistrate A. F. Ri-chard, granted him N100,000 bail with two sureties. The court said one of the sureties must be a relative and must be in possession of a National Identity Card. The second surety should be a Level 9 civil servant. At press time, the accused was unable to meet the terms given by the court for his bail and had to be taken into prison custody. The case was then adjourned to April 19 for proper...
by Admin | Mar 14, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Nigeria Customs Service has handed over the 661 pump action rifles seized on Sunday 22rd January 2017 by the Roving Team of the Federal Operations Unit Zone A Ikeja to the Department of State Security for further investigation. It will be recalled that the rifles were laden in a Mack truck with registration number BDG 265 XG conveying a 1x40ft Container with Number: PONU/825914/3 before it was intercepted along Mile 2 Apapa road, Lagos. The truck was immediately taken to the premises of FOU Zone A, Ikeja where Physical examination revealed 49 boxes containing a total number of 661 pieces of pump action rifles concealed with steal doors and other merchandize goods The interception of these arms is a clear indication of how committed and dedicated the Service is to the economy, security and wellbeing of the Country. The three suspects who were arrested in connection with this illegal importation are: Mr. Oscan Okafor (Importer) age 51 Mr. Mahmud Hassan (Clearing Agent) age 56 Mr. Sadique Mustapha (accompanying the consignment to its destination) age 28. While handing over the 661 pump action rifles and the two suspects (Mr. Oscan Okafor (Importer) and Mr. Mahmud Hassan (Clearing Agent) to the Director-General, Department of State Security, Mr. Lawal Daura represented by the Director, DSS, Lagos State Command, Ms Betty Adoki, Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, DCG Dan Ugo on behalf of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), calls on all well meaning Nigerians to support the service with necessary information that could assist the Service perform their...
by Admin | Mar 14, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 57-year-old grandmother and textile merchant at Balogun market in Lagos has been caught at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, in connection with cocaine smuggling to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said. Odeyemi Omolara claimed to be going on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia when she was arrested, according to the agency. Ahmadu Garba, NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, explained that the two parcels of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine were carefully concealed inside her luggage. “A female passenger, Odeyemi Omolara Morayo with a valid Egypt air ticket from Lagos to Saudi Arabia had been arrested with 1.595kg of cocaine,” Mr. Garba said. “The cocaine which was concealed in a false bottom of her bag was discovered during routine check on passengers at the departure hall. We had to cut the bag open to recover the cocaine because of the way it was neatly concealed. She was immediately arrested and the case is currently under investigation.” In her statement, the suspect who hails from Ogun State said her friend and customer was the one that introduced her into drug trafficking. “I have two children and my daughter is married with children,” she said. “Recently, I told my friend that I loved to go on pilgrimage this year and she promised to sponsor my trip. That was how she collected my international passport, processed my travel documents and bought return ticket on Egypt airline. The only favour she requested from me was that I should take a bag to Saudi. “She also told me that somebody will collect...
by Admin | Mar 14, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A suspected fraudster identified as Eze Udo has been arrested by police personnel for allegedly withdrawing the sum of N1,049,545 (one million, forty-nine thousand, and five hundred and forty-five naira) from his victim’s account. A police source, in the Umuahia Central Police Station, Abia State, hinted that the manhunt for the suspect started following a complaint by the victim, Mr. Oka Monday, whom the suspect stole his ATM card and withdrew the money from his account. According to the source, the victim who hails from Amachara Umuopara, a satellite town near the capital city, Umuahia, was making attempts to withdraw some money from an Automated Teller Machine attached to a commercial bank in Umuahia, when the suspect offered to assist him due network failure. It was learnt that after attempts to withdraw the money failed, the suspect having memorised the victim’s secret pin number, advised him to follow him (the suspect) to a nearby bank where the transaction might be easier. It was gathered that the victim, in the complaint made to the police, stated that to his amazement, the suspect suddenly absconded with his ATM card on their way to the second bank and thereafter he got a text messages indicating that money had been withdrawn from his account. The police source added that security operatives started the search for the suspect following intelligence gathered, which paid off when the suspect was arrested. During a search in the man’s house, 13 ATM cards belonging to different victims were recovered. The state Commissioner of Police, Adeleye Oyebade confirmed the arrest of the suspect, adding that he has...
by Admin | Mar 14, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The jealous air force officer, Lieutenant Kalu, who shot dead his girlfriend has been arrested and his currently in custody. Lieutenant Kalu allegedly shot his girlfriend/colleague, Oladipupo Solape, to death on Sunday, March 12, in Markurdi Benue state. The public relation officer at the Benue Air Force base, Emmanuel Iheoma, while confirming the incident, disclosed that the case is under investigation. Iheoma revealed that Kalu’s blood sample has been taken in for investigation. He added that the accused has been taken into custody of the Air Police. According to witnesses, Kalu killed his girlfriend after he accused her of cheating. It was later gathered that Kalu left a note with the assumption that he was going to kill himself after he kills Solape. Read the note reads “It’s a privilege for me writing this note because it would be read by most of men. It’s a love story of a guy falling in love with a wrong witch who pretended to be good in my eyes and in the eyes of my loving mother. Am a simple guy who never partake in name various (nefarious) activities. Most individuals say I have a future here it is. Am a guy who pull two rounds in a witch and one round to my f*cking body.” “For it is said he who kill by the sword shall die by it. Most idiot would insult me, yes! If I were to be in there shoes I would do the same likewise if they were to be in my shoe, they would even pull more than three rounds on the witch. “Call...
by Admin | Mar 14, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Niger’s appeals court has sentenced an exiled former presidential candidate to one year in prison for child trafficking, the final ruling in a long-running case that his lawyers have dismissed as politically motivated. Hama Amadou, the main challenger to President Mahamadou Issoufou in the 2016 presidential election, has been living in France since last year when he left Niger for health reasons just days before a run-off. He has repeatedly denied charges that he and his wife were part of a plot, including several others, to falsely claim the parenthood of around 30 children from neighbouring Nigeria who were to be sold on to wealthy couples in Niger. The verdict was read in the absence of Amadou’s lawyers, who had boycotted the trial in protest. The case was initially dropped by a Niger court in 2015, but was reinstated by the appeals court later in the year. Issoufou took power in April 2011, and has worked closely with Western nations to boost security in the vast, arid Sahel region where Islamist militants are intensifying their...
by Admin | Mar 13, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A medical doctor, Emmanuel Ogah, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly stabbing his mother to death. The Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who on Saturday confirmed the incident and arrest to PREMIUM TIMES, said the suspect claimed that he killed his mother because she was fond of scolding him publicly. Mr. Oyeyemi said the suspect committed the offence at 16 Ololade Street, Lafenwa, Itele Ota town of the State. He said the man was arrested after the accused person’s elder brother complained to the police. “The Ogun State Police Command has on the 9th Of March arrested one Dr. Emmanuel Ogah for stabbing his biological mother to death. His was arrested following a complaints from one Cletus Ogah who reported at Itele Ota Divisional headquarters that his younger brother has stabbed his mother one Janet Ogah to death,” Mr. Oyeyemi said. Mr. Oyeyemi said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect who had just completed his NYSC program, came back home three days earlier and had being having quarrel with his mother. “In his statement, the suspect claimed that his mother was in the habit of insulting and disgracing him in the presence of her apprentices and that he was frustrated into taking the life of his mother,” the police spokesman said. The body of the 62-year-old deceased was deposited at the General Hospital Morgue for autopsy, police...
by Admin | Mar 13, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A bar attendant with Kingsbar, Precious Victor, yesterday gave a startling account of how he invited two of his friends to murder his boss, in his apartment in Anifowose area of Ikeja, Lagos, last Friday , over N63,000 The suspect, an Ordinary National Diploma holder from the Moshood Abiola University, Ogun state, was paraded alongside an alleged accomplice, Ahmed Abubakar, with a second accomplice identified simply as Kelechi, still on the run. Speaking with journalists, Victor, revealed that the initial plan was not to kill his boss but to threaten him with a knife in order to get N63,000 from him. He said “I needed N63, 000 for some personal need. So I invited my friend, Kelechi, to act as a robber by threatening my boss with a knife in his apartment. On the fateful day, I went with him but stayed by the door. Then all of a sudden, I heard the sound of a bottle being smashed on somebody inside. I went inside at that moment to find out what was happening and discovered that it was Kelechi who smashed a bottle on my boss’s head when he refused to part with some money. When my boss saw me, he called my name and asked if I wanted to kill him. He held me and bit me on stomach. I called on Kelechi to rescue me. Kelechi tried to drag me out of the room, but my boss bit harder, clinching his teeth to my flesh. It was at that point that Kelechi stabbed my boss twice on his stomach, thereby forcing him to release...
by Admin | Mar 13, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A Kano State Magistrates’ Court on Friday ordered that a 30-year-old teacher be remanded in prison over alleged abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl. The accused, Victor Kusi, of Badawa Quarters, Kano, is facing a two-count charge of abduction and rape. The Senior Magistrate, Hajiya Aisha Yahaya, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison pending the advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution Yahaya adjourned the case till March 14 for further mention. Earlier, the Prosecutor, Isyaku Alhassan, told the court that the accused kept the girl in his room for two days and raped her repeatedly. Alhassan said: “The accused kept the victim for two days in his room and forcefully had unlawful sexual intercourse with her three times.” The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 272 and 283 of the Penal...
by Admin | Mar 13, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Two suspected drug traffickers have been apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, few hours to its closure, Wednesday, while attempting to smuggle 386 grammes of cocaine to Cambodia and 2.150kg of heroin from Tanzania. NDLEA Commander at Abuja Airport, Hamisu Lawan, said 53-year-old shoe merchant, Lekwauwa Mark Otaka, was caught with 386 grammes of cocaine inserted in his anus while 57-year-old Odogwu Augustine Ike, an automobile dealer in Onitsha, excreted 110 wraps of heroin. “Odogwu Augustine Ike was caught with 110 wraps of heroin weighing 2.150kg from Tanzania on an Ethiopian Airline flight, while Otaka was found to have inserted seven wraps of cocaine weighing 386 grammes into his anus on an Egypt Airline flight to Cambodia. Both suspects are currently under investigation,” he said. Otaka, an Aba-based shoe merchant, told officials that he was aked to smuggle drugs for N1million. “I was afraid of swallowing the drugs, so I chose the insertion method. “I inserted 386 grammes of cocaine into my anus in my desperation to get N1 million promised.” Meanwhile, Ike, a father of four who hails from Anambra state blamed his action on financial hardship to take care of his family. According to him, he was promised N600,000 to smuggle the drug. Chief Executive of the agency, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (rtd.),confirming their arrest said the duo were caught after they tested positive to narcotic ingestion during routine screening. He said: “The Agency had taken measures at ensuring comprehensive examination of passengers and goods at the Kaduna Airport. “This would help in preventing illicit movement of narcotics by drug...
by Admin | Mar 13, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI No fewer than 30 Bureau de Change operators stormed the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday in anticipation of the trial of a Nigerian filmmaker, Olajide Kazeem, alias Seun Egbede, who was charged with serial frauds involving N39, 098,100, $90,000 and £12,550. Egbegbe, alongside one Oyekan Ayomide, had been arraigned by the police on February 10, 2017, before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo. The duo were accused of swindling more than 30 BDC operators of various sums both in local and foreign currencies between 2015 and 2017 in Lagos. Egbegbe and Ayomide had, however, pleaded not guilty and Justice Oguntoyinbo had on February 24 granted each of them a bail of N5m, while the matter was adjourned till Friday for trial to commence. When the case was called on Friday, the prosecuting counsel for the police, Mr Innocent Anyigor, told the judge that the charge sheet had been amended and the counts had been increased from 36 to 40. He, therefore, prayed the court to allow the charges to be read to the defendants for the purpose of taking their plea. The judge granted the prayer and Egbegbe and Ayomide were re-arraigned and pleaded not guilty as they had earlier done. Following the re-arraignment, the defence counsel, Mrs A.O. Gbadamosi, urged the judge to vary the conditions attached to the bail granted Ayomide because he was only involved in three out of the 40 counts. In response, the judge said the prayer would be considered later. The prosecutor then told the judge that he had 30 witnesses in court and he was ready for commencement of trial. The...
by Admin | Mar 13, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Rivers State Police Command has paraded fifteen suspected criminals who were arrested in different parts of the state. The Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, said the arrests were made following a charge by the Acting Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Magaji, to all Divisional Police Officers. He said, “On 08/01/2017 at about 0300hrs, Operatives of the Ozuoba Divisional Anti Robbery team, on a distress call responded to an armed robbery attack at Romualogu street where one Mr. Vincent Obah was robbed and was dispossessed of his GSM handset and undisclosed amount of cash. “The team was confronted by the robbers who opened fire on them but through the gallant effort of the officers they arrested one Jude Okoli ‘m’ aged 30yrs, while others fled. “On 24/01/2017 at about 2100hrs while responding to a distress from Mr. Stone of Ori-Ebe street, the Ozuoba Divisional Anti Crime patrol team complimented by the community youths arrested Eze Amata ‘m’ and George Edwin ‘m’ both of no fixed address. “The suspects were alleged to have robbed different people on several occasions in the community and have been at large until the duo were sighted by a previous victim as they were preparing to repeat their usual act along, ‘after seven road’ Ozuoba. “Suspects attempted to escape but were given a hot chase and eventually arrested. “They are helping the Police in investigation and will be charged to court as soon as Investigation is concluded. “On 09/02/2017 at about 0213hrs two of three members of armed robbery gang were arrested while robbing one Ndubuisi Igire ‘m’of Choba town; the robbers before...
by Admin | Mar 11, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The inability of the prosecution to produce an interpreter on Wednesday stalled the planned arraignment of two Chinese and a Nigerian accused of importing fake tyres into the country. Taolung Shen, 36, Xu Jing Yao, 22, and Chinedu Madubuike alongside their companies, Sino Nigeria Import and Export Ltd and Nedeca International Limited, were charged with four counts of importation of sub-standard tyres by the Attorney General of the Federation. The defendants allegedly imported the tyres, said to be the largest seizure in Nigeria, in February. On Wednesday, the prosecution counsel, Babatunde Alajogun, asked Justice Mojisola Olatoregun allow the charge dated March 3 to be read to the accused. But the defence counsel, Victor Opara, said the first and second defendants did not speak English. “I normally discuss with them by means of an interpreter,” he said. When the judge asked Mr. Alajogun why he did not arrange for an interpreter, the lawyer said he assumed the defendants could speak English because he once heard Mr. Shen speak English. “It was at your request that we took the case today because you said they had been in custody,” the judge told the prosecutor. “So why are you not ready? Did you ask if they could speak English? Are you not supposed to ask? “They are expected to understand the charge. They are expected to follow the proceedings. That’s when you would have fulfilled the legal requirements.” The judge declined Mr. Alajogun’s request for the Chinese nationals to be remanded in prison pending the availability of an interpreter for their trial. “I will not. They will go back to...
by Admin | Mar 11, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A Chief Magistrate’s Court has remanded two brothers in prison custody over the death of five fellow Fulani herdsmen. A Lokoja Chief Magistrate’s Court has remanded two brothers, Adamu Yahaya, 20 and Mumuni Yahaya, 25, in prison custody over the death of five fellow Fulani herdsmen. The duo are accused of using machetes to kill the five persons. Mr Levi Animoku of Lokoja Chief Magistrate’s Court I, gave the remand order after the duo appeared before him on Thursday. Animoku held that the charges of culpable homicide against the two herdsmen carried death penalty upon conviction, and declared that Section 341(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) precluded the court from granting bail in the circumstance. “The presumption of innocence does not exonerate the accused; so, the cannot be granted bail,” he said. The Chief Magistrate ordered that the accused be remanded at Federal Prisons, Dekina and urged the prison authorities to ensure that they were treated of their head injuries. Animoku also directed that the case be transferred to Chief Magistrate Court, Dekina and adjourned the matter to March 16, for mention. The prosecuting police officer, Mr Tuesday Ganagana, who read the First Information Report (FIR), had told the court that the accused were arraigned on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide. He said that the offences contravened sections 97(1) and 221(a) of the Penal Code law. Ganagana said that the case was reported by one Babangida Usman, chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Ikende, in Bassa Local Government of Kogi, on February 15. Ganagana told the court that at about 2...
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