by Admin | Sep 22, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Two suspected armed robbers, Alexander (surname witheld), 25, and Innocent (surname witheld), 27, have been remanded in prison custody over allegations of theft and murder. An Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos, ordered the remand of both men over charges bordering on conspiracy, robbery and murder. It was alleged that the two suspected armed robbers, on April 8, 2015, at about 2p.m, at 21, Oduduwa Way, while armed with locally made pistol and cutlasses, robbed James Edewor of the sum of seven million, naira hundred thousand naira, N7,900,000. In the charge brought against them, the two accused, with others at large, were said to have, apart from dispossesing the victim of the money, also killed the robbery victim, by strangling him to death. The offences, the charge read, were contrary to and punishable under sections 297, 295(2) (a), 221 and 231 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. The magistrate, Mrs A Ajibade, who held brief for Magistrate, A Ope-agbe ordered that the two suspects be remanded in prison custody pending an advice from the DPP. The Magistrate also ordered the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward same to DPP for advice. Source:...
by Admin | Sep 22, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The families of the students of the Osun State University, who have been missing for the past 17 days, say they have resorted to prayers in order to find the undergraduates. Mother of Samuel Eke, who gave her name simply as Mrs. Eke, said she believed that only God could locate her son, who she said was her only child. Also, Henry Akinduro, the brother of Robert Akinduro, said the family had not given up hope, saying God would find Robert for the family. Eke, who spoke on the telephone with our corespondent in Osogbo on Wednesday said she believed that Samuel and Robert were still alive. The students, who are final year students at the Computer Science Department of UNIOSUN were preparing for their projects when they went missing. They had told friends that they wanted to visit one Parise, but had not been seen since then. Eke said, “ I went to the police headquarters and the man, who they went to see, was still in detention. I saw him there. He said he did not see them. “I am not sleeping, I have not been sitting down and folding my hands; my brother and I have been praying. He is my only son and my only child. I don’t have any child apart from him, I am deeply troubled, but I believe God will bring him back home. “They told us in some places we went to that Samuel and Robert are alive, but they are in a tight place and only God can release them. The university has also been helpful. The police...
by Admin | Sep 22, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has frozen Patience Jonathan’s personal account, titled ‘Patience Ibifaka Jonathan’, which is domiciled in Skye Bank Plc. Impeccable sources within the agency told our correspondent on Wednesday that the move had become necessary due to the prima facie case established against the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife. As part of investigations into alleged diversion against a former Special Adviser to ex-President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa, the anti-graft agency had frozen four companies’ accounts in Skye Bank with a balance of $15,591,700. However, before the EFCC could arraign the four companies in court, Jonathan’s wife deposed to an affidavit, claiming that the money belonged to her. Despite Patience’s claims, however, the EFCC arraigned the four companies –Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited; and Globus Integrated Service Limited. The companies pleaded guilty and the EFCC had already begun moves to ensure that the money is forfeited permanently to the Federal Government. A detective at the EFCC told The PUNCH, “Recall that we had frozen the four companies’ accounts, which Patience Jonathan later laid claim to. We have been able to establish that the money was part of proceeds of crime. “She had no evidence that the money in the four accounts belonged to her. All she had were platinum debit cards, which she was using to withdraw money and the cards are not evidence of ownership. “Initially, we had traced $5m to her personal account, which we did not touch but I can confirm to you now...
by Admin | Sep 22, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old suspect, Bassey Johnson, for allegedly raping a four-year-old girl in the Idimu area of the state. PUNCH Metro learnt that the school-leaver, who is also learning a trade, allegedly raped the girl, Fatima (pseudonym), when she and her elder brother went to watch a television in the suspect’s apartment. The victim’s family and the suspect were said to be neighbours in the area. Our correspondent gathered that on Sunday, around 9am, Fatima and her seven-year-old brother, Wareed, went to the suspect’s room to watch the TV. It was learnt that while the two were in Johnson’s apartment, Wareed fell asleep. The suspect was said to have raped the girl, after the brother slept. A neighbour, who identified herself only as Adeyinka, said it was Fatima’s mother, who later discovered that the four-year-old had been raped when the girl continued to scratch her private parts. She said, “Bass (Johnson) is very close to the girl’s family. They are neighbours and the children usually went to watch TV in his room. On that Sunday, the girl and her brother went into Bass’ room and while they were watching TV, the brother slept off. “Bass thereafter raped the girl. The brother was sleeping in the room while Bass, who could not control his urge, raped the girl. After the girl came out of the room, the mother noticed that she kept crying and was scratching her private parts. “When the mother checked Fatima’s private parts, she saw bloodstains and semen. When she confronted the perpetrator, the man confessed to the crime....
by Admin | Sep 22, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Zone 2 Police Command has said it is not giving up on the search for the kidnapped landlords in the Isheri North area of Lagos State. The zonal spokesperson, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, told PUNCH Metro on Wednesday that the police had deployed more personnel in the area to find the victims. Our correspondent had reported that masked gunmen, numbering nine, had emerged from the waterways around 8am on Saturday. It was learnt that the assailants made straight for the men, who were on early morning jogging, around Lekki Gardens Estate. They were not landlords in the estate. It was reported that the kidnappers demanded N300m to free each of the victim, totalling N1.4bn. It was also reported that one of the abducted landlords escaped from the kidnappers den on Tuesday. The zonal police spokesperson, SP Adejobi, said, “ The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ali Abdulmajid, sent some operatives to the area, but they were not aware of any escape. “We have deployed more men in the area and our helicopters are also hovering in the community. I want to assure you that soon, we will rescue the victims safely.” Source:...
by Admin | Sep 22, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The attention of residents and the state government has been called to the idea of miscreants and street urchins generally known as Area Boys disguising as registered estate agents and land dealers to dupe unsuspecting members of the public, among other nefarious activities they carry out. The alarm was raised by two property consultants, Teriba Kazeem Adetunji and Chief Abiola Amure, who also gave the state government a piece of advice on the approach to be adopted if indeed it wished to successfully execute the newly-introduced law on land grabbing in the state. The duo also urged members of the public to be wary and carry out detailed investigations before parting with their hard-earned money in their bid to buy land or houses. Their advice came on the heels of numerous cases of dubious, and sometimes, bloody land dealings involving quacks and miscreants that have plagued many communities in the state over the years. Further in his explanation, Adetunji said even though certified and real estate agents were fully registered and recognised by both the state and Federal Governments, the state was replete with miscreants who could be regarded as quacks parading themselves as agents. Meanwhile, while charging the state government on implementing the newly-introduced law, which outlaws the activities of land grabbers notoriously known as ‘Omo Onile,’ the property consultants stated that collaborating with professionals in estate agency would assist government in tackling the menace of land grabbing in the state. Similarly, Chief Amure said miscreants on the sites always masquerade as people from the “federal,” and that after gaining grounds, they would invite all their...
by Admin | Sep 22, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI One of the four landlords kidnapped by gunmen in the Isheri North area of Lagos State has escaped from his captors. PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim, who arrived at home on Tuesday, however, refused to discuss his ordeal with anyone. Our correspondent had reported that the masked gunmen emerged from the waterways while the victims were jogging around 8am on Saturday. The assailants were said to have shot into the air before taking away the four men in a speedboat. A source told our correspondent that one of the men escaped on Tuesday. He said, “He escaped from their midst because no ransom was paid. “He is scared and has kept to himself. The police have maintained visible presence in the community, but it is not certain they know where the kidnappers are.” Another member of the community said some money was paid, adding that the victim arrived at the estate around 5am in a boat. He said, “A large amount of money was paid by his family for his release; he didn’t escape. He was released at about 5am.” When contacted, the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, promised to call back, but he had yet to do so as of press time. Source:...
by Admin | Sep 20, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Nearly every business has felt an impact from the recession. There has been no escaping. The root causes were universal and had a domino effect. Some small-business owners believe they’ve seen the bottom and they are surviving they are OK and they expect to persevere with modest adjustments. These small-business owners are kidding themselves. The bottom has not been reached, and it will be a long slide until it does. We are in for a five- to 10-year disaster. During such times, it’s easy to panic. Panic, which is fear-driven and not based on fact but on emotion, has tremendous power, the power to change the direction of business. But do you want to give in to panic, throw your hands in the air and accept self-destruction, actually accelerating it, becoming a part of the panic, stimulating more? There’s an alternative to panicking. We are confronting change, and change is an opportunity for advances. Now you have the choice to take advantage of change it or allow yourself to be buried by it. Make the right choices today and see the results tomorrow. It’s not just about adjusting prices — you need to broadcast your differences, tell people why they should shop with you, provide them with added value, and not discounts, and watch your business grow in a down market. Here are a few rules of engagement that will help you successfully recast your business and succeed in the new economy: Evaluate and eliminate excessive debt If your revenues have dropped, you may not be able to service the debt you took on when your...
by Admin | Sep 20, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has traced properties worth N1.5bn to a former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa. Our correspondent learnt on Sunday that as part of investigations into an alleged case of money laundering, the EFCC discovered some properties, which Dudafa had not been able to explain where he got the money to buy them. The commission discovered a mansion in the Agungi area of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, allegedly belonging to Dudafa, said to be worth over N300m. The anti-graft agency also traced a plot of land around the Chevron Estate, off the Lekki-Epe Expressway and a twin duplex within the same area said to belong to Dudafa. Apart from the Lagos properties, an edifice in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, was also traced to Dudafa. A source in the EFCC said, “When we are probing a person, we usually investigate his lifestyle and see if he or she is living above his means. Since Dudafa has already been arraigned for money laundering, we decided to launch further investigations into his lifestyle. “We found a white mansion in the Agungi area of Lagos, very close to Lekki. He has about four exotic cars in the compound. We did not seal it off because people live there. So, we just placed a sticker on the fence to indicate that the property is a subject of investigation. “Dudafa also has a twin duplex around the Chevron Estate. We did not seal it off because he has rented the property out. However, he has a parcel of land around the place, which...
by Admin | Sep 20, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Here are five ways that you, or law enforcement agents, can use mobile phones to fight crime: Crime reporting: Mobile phones allow citizens to contact the police immediately and report crimes as they are happening. This can give law enforcement agents more accurate information and the ability to respond to criminal activities faster. Evidence gathering: Since most mobile phones are equipped with cameras, bystanders can take photos or video of crime scenes and criminals. This evidence can be passed on to police or social media almost instantly, giving officers and the public the ability to identify criminals faster. Evidence tracking: For the same reason, a mobile phone could be evidence in a crime. If a person’s mobile phone is stolen, tracking technology could expose the perpetrator. In addition, new smartphone technology, such as kill switches, can reduce the incentive to steal mobile phones in the first place. Suspect tracking: Somewhat controversially, law enforcement agents can track a person’s movements using his or her smartphone. While this is frightening for privacy advocates, it can be essential to tracking known criminals, especially in kidnapping scenarios. Knowing exactly where a mobile phone is at a certain point in time can also help law enforcement agency recreate a person’s movements after the fact. Officer policing: And, to the chagrin of many an officer trying to get away with murder, mobile phones can provide evidence of impropriety on the part of law enforcement personnel. Mobile phone video, from Eric Garner’s death to teenagers at a pool party, has been used to hold police officers accountable, and has hastened the spread of body...
by Admin | Sep 19, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The kidnappers, who abducted four landlords around Lekki Gardens Estate, in the Isheri North area of Lagos State, have demanded N300m each to release their victims. The assailants called family members of their victims on Sunday to make the demand, threatening to harm the landlords if the demand was not met. Our correspondent had reported that the gunmen, who were masked, emerged from the waterways while the residents were jogging around 8am on Saturday. They were said to have shot sporadically into the air before taking away their victims in a speedboat. Those who escaped the attack said they hid in the water for over one hour until security operatives arrived in the area. A source in the community said the kidnappers had contacted families of the victims and demanded ransom, describing the demand as unrealistic. He said, “They have made contact and they asked for N300m for each of the victims. They said they would communicate where they would drop the money. But we all know that the demand is unrealistic. Where do they expect the families to get N1.2bn from?” The source added that landlords in all the estates had started a series of meetings to find a way out of the conundrum, adding that the incident was unprecedented in the community. Meanwhile, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos, Abdulmajid Ali, has raised a team to go after the hoodlums. A statement on Sunday by the spokesperson for the command, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the team had been given an order to rescue the victims unhurt. The statement said,...
by Admin | Sep 19, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Four companies: Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd, and Avalon Global Property Development Company Ltd, allegedly linked to Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan in a $15million money laundering case today pleaded guilty before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court, Lagos. But Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, former adviser on domestic affairs to President Jonathan; Amajuoyi Azubuike Briggs, another former presidential aide and Adedamola Bolodeoku, former official of Skye bank pleaded not guilty. The defendants are alleged to have fraudulently received and retained various sums of money being proceeds of crime. The first accused, Dr. Waripamo- Owei Emmanuel in grand conspiracy with one Sompre Omiebi and others, allegedly procured the services of Adedamola Bolodeoku of Skye Bank Plc to launder and retain the proceeds of their unlawful activities to the tune of $15,591,700 (Fifteen million, five hundred and ninety one thousand, seven hundred United States Dollars). One of the counts read: “That you Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, Amajuoyi Azubuike Briggs, Adedamola Bolodeoku, Sompre Omiebi (still at large) Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd, and Avalon Global Property Development Company Ltd on or about the 13th day of November, 2013 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: retain the total sum of $15,591, 700.00 (Fifteen Million, Five Hundred and Ninety One Thousand, Seven Hundred United State Dollars) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms...
by Admin | Sep 19, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A jealous dad beat to death his toddler daughter with a baseball bat because he couldn’t stand the amount of attention she received after beating cancer. Ryan Lawrence, 25, murdered little Maddox in February after alluding to being jealous of the attention showered on her as she bravely battled eye cancer . The sick killer kidnapped the girl and took her to a “remote, secluded location” in Onondaga County, New York, “then placed her body and the baseball bat in a prepared fire pit” before disposing of the remains, a judge said. Continue.. Desperate family members and police put out a missing persons appeal for the pair. Lawrence was found a day later, and his daughter’s body recovered some 12 hours after that. The county’s top lawyer, Bill Fitzpatrick, said Maddox, 22 months, had battled and beaten cancer before she was murdered, and that Lawrence had alluded to jealousy over the attention she received as a possible motive, WJLA reported . According to a detective, Lawrence had asked God for a sign that he should not kill the toddler. He is said to have thought: “God, if I’m not meant to kill her, make her stumble.” Lawrence now faces between 25 years and life in prison. He will be sentenced next month. Source:...
by Admin | Sep 19, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI BUT for the eagle-eyed policemen from Sanyo Division in Oyo State Police Command, a Lebanese with a company in Ibadan, the state capital, would have become a victim of kidnappers and, at best, coughed up some money as ransom. This disclosure was made by the state Commissioner of Police, Sam Adegbuyi, on September 6 while briefing journalists on the arrest of four suspected kidnappers, three of whom came from Benin, Edo State, to carry out kidnapping. He gave the names of the suspects as Sunday Udoh, Ogiemudia Ehosa, Paul Osarenkhoe and Yakubu Jimoh. The police commissioner said that the policemen were on a stop-and-search duty on August 29 when they discovered guns with three of the suspects. On interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed that they were on their way to kidnap a victim at Jericho area of Ibadan. He added that further investigation by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad led to the arrest of the fourth suspect. Exhibits recovered from the suspects included a locally made pistol, a locally-made cut-to-size single barrel gun, 20 live cartridges, a camera and a bag containing criminal charms. Speaking with Crime Reports, Sunday, on whose instance others came to Ibadan, said: “I was working for a Lebanese company as a welder in Ibadan and was being paid N18,000 monthly. But I lost the job after I was dismissed over allegation of stealing money which I knew nothing about. I became jobless so I started thinking of what I could do. I left for Benin, Edo State and started working as a casual worker with a road construction company. That was where I...
by Admin | Sep 19, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI EFCC sends team to Port Harcourt, Yenagoa over four other choice assets linked to ex-First Lady •May forfeit alleged properties to Federal Government •Four accounts containing $19m to remain frozen •Commission insists Mrs. Jonathan must explain source of fund Former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan appears to have more explanation to make to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) besides the $19 million just frozen in her accounts. Mrs. Jonathan has just been linked with five choice properties including a N5billion hotel in Abuja, The Nation gathered yesterday. The EFCC is currently studying documents on how the Abuja hotel (names withheld) was built. It has also dispatched a team of investigators to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State for the purpose of establishing the ownership of four properties in the two cities. The anti-graft agency is likely to confiscate the five properties once it is able to confirm that they belong to Mrs. Jonathan. One of the pieces of evidence the EFCC has in its possession in its probe of the ex-First Lady is her cumulative pay and perks as a civil servant in Bayelsa State where she rose to the post of Permanent Secretary. Sources said the pay details are far below the $31million which the ex-First Lady claimed as her legitimately earned money. The EFCC is insisting that Mrs. Jonathan must account for how she came about the cash wired into the five accounts to which she is a signatory or forfeit it to the Federal Government. One of the sources familiar with the probe said the money used in acquiring the...
Recent Comments