by Admin | Jul 20, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Hundreds of Boko Haram suspects in Cameroon are being brutally tortured by security forces, Amnesty International said in a new report published Thursday. The human rights group alleged “horrific and widespread torture at 20 sites, including four military bases, two facilities run by intelligence services, a private residence and a school.” Using dozens of testimonies, corroborated with satellite imagery, photographic and video evidence, the report ‘Cameroon’s secret torture chambers: human rights violations and war crimes in the fight against Boko Haram’ documents 101 cases of incommunicado detention and torture between 2013 and 2017, at over 20 different sites. “We have repeatedly and unequivocally condemned the atrocities and war crimes committed by Boko Haram in Cameroon. But, nothing could justify the callous and widespread practice of torture committed by the security forces against ordinary Cameroonians, who are often arrested without any evidence and forced to endure unimaginable pain,” said Alioune Tine, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “These horrific violations amount to war crimes. Given the weight of the evidence we have uncovered, the authorities must initiate independent investigations into these practices of incommunicado detention and torture, including potential individual and command responsibility.” In a statement by Isa Sanusi, head of media of Amnesty International’s Nigeria office, the organisation said it had written to the Cameroonian authorities in April 2017 to share the report’s findings, but no response was provided and all subsequent requests for meetings were refused. Amnesty International estimates that Boko Haram has killed over 1,500 civilians in Cameroon since 2014, and abducted many others. The group has killed more than ten times...
by Admin | Jul 20, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A mob has reportedly set ablaze buildings of two banks – Sterling and Diamond – located in Apapa, Lagos, after a policeman attached to one of the banks allegedly shot dead three tanker drivers. An eyewitness, Omega Male, confirmed the incident which happened on Wednesday via his Twitter handle. The unidentified policeman was said to have objected to the parking of a tanker in front of the bank, after which a brawl ensued between him and the driver. He reportedly shot the driver dead while two other drivers who tried to intervene were also said to have been killed by the policeman. Angered by the incident, the mob, most of which were said to be the drivers’ colleagues, reportedly set the bank on fire and the nearby Sterling Bank building. Sarumi Ridwon, another Twitter user, also tweeted the development. Another eyewitness told PM news that other banks in the area, especially those on Warehouse Road, have closed down for business to avoid any attack from the mob. Security operatives, including anti-riot policemen, have been deployed to the area to quell the...
by Admin | Jul 20, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI An Osun State High Court in Osogbo on Wednesday sentenced a 40-year-old man, Kayode Adedeji, to death by hanging for robbing a woman of N3,420 on April 25, 2009. Prosecuting counsel from the state ministry of justice, Elisabeth Alabi, had told the court that Mr. Adedeji robbed one Omowumi Adebayo at Bolorunduro area in Ilesa, armed with a knife at midnight. The prosecution also claimed that the robber also had other dangerous weapons during his attack on Mrs. Adebayo’s residence. Adedeji was said to have fled the scene of the robbery but was trailed and arrested by some members of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, in the area. He pleaded not guilty to the one count charge of armed robbery when he was arraigned about eight years ago and was granted bail. Alabi, the convict abused the bail privilege by committing another offence which led to his remand in Ilesa prison. She argued that the offence was punishable under Section 11(2)(A) CAPR II, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004. The presiding judge, Kudirat Akano, found Mr. Adedeji guilty of the crime and convicted...
by Admin | Jul 20, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Telephone conversations by Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, former Petroleum Resources Minister, have revealed that she deliberately connived with her business partners to steal Nigeria’s oil money. As Petroleum Minister between 2010 and 2015, Mrs. Alison-Madueke used her influence to facilitate illicit business opportunities for Messrs. Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore, who used shell companies to receive billion-dollar contracts to sell Nigeria’s crude oil. The oil swap contracts were the controversial Strategic Alliance Agreements (SAAs) through which middlemen were used to sell Nigeria’s crude oil in exchange for refined products. The telephone conversations were intercepted by US prosecutors tracking money laundering and hefty bribes paid out to Mrs. Alison-Madueke and are contained in an assets forfeiture court process filed against the former minister and Messrs. Omokore and Aluko by the US Department of Justice in Houston, Texas. Atlantic Energy Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries, Drilling Concepts Limited (AECD) and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited, owned by Messrs. Omokore and Aluko, were deemed ineligible for the multi-billion oil contracts they got and were, eventually, found to performed obligations stated in the agreements. In a recorded phone conversation with Mr. Aluko, US prosecutors quoted Mrs. Alison-Madueke as saying: “We stuck our necks out regarding the SAA and we supported it.” Conversations between Diezani and Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore This was in apparent reference to a February 2014 report issued by the then Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr....
by Admin | Jul 20, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Controversy has arisen over the death of a 29-year-old graduate of the University of Bauchi, Kolawole Idowu, at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. Family members of the victim said although Kolawole died at LASUTH, they believed his condition was worsened by doctors at the Ikeja Medical Centre, a private facility on Allen Avenue, Ikeja. PUNCH Metro gathered that Kolawole, who concluded his youth service in Lagos sometime in April, took ill a few days afterwards. He was reported to have complained of “teary eyes and body pains” and had gone to the Ikeja Medical Centre, which was the family hospital. It was gathered that like other children of the family, he was born at the hospital. After a doctor allegedly recommended some malaria drugs and later an eye drop, the situation was said to have worsened, leading to his admission to the hospital. Our correspondent was told that the hospital later said he was manifesting signs of a mental illness and began treating him for “psychosis.” When there was no improvement, the hospital was said to have referred him to LASUTH, where he went into a coma and later died at the Intensive Care Unit. The victim’s brother, Kunle, told PUNCH Metro that his late brother’s medical condition was not handled properly at the medical centre, adding that he was given some injections which affected his health. Kunle alleged that the injections made him to misbehave, saying anytime the effect of the injections wore off, he would regain his senses, run back home and beg to be taken away from the hospital. He explained that...
by Admin | Jul 20, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Following a false rumour about the activities of members of the dreaded Badoo cult members by some residents of Odogunyan area of Ikorodu, in Lagos State, which led to the vandalisation of a building and a bus in the area, one of the affected victims, Mr. Jude Nwachukwu, has called on the Lagos Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, to help restore order in the area. Nwachukwu, whose 9, Aliyu Adesanya Street, Odogunyan, Ikorodu, resident was vandalised, said that despite reporting the case to the Police Station along Sagamu Road, no concrete step had been taken. His words: “They promised to ensure my safety and will also arrest those involved in the vandalisation. “But up till this moment they have not even visited the scene not to talk of any arrest. It was this morning (yesterday) that they called me to take the picture of the house and bring it to their office so that they can act on it. “My worry is that I cannot even stay in the house, because I do not know what those that vandalised my house may be planning to do next.” He sent an SOS message to the state’s Commissioner of Police to intervene in the matter, saying “I want assurance of my safety to enable me stay in my house. “I also want to be compensated for the damages and those involved in this evil act...
by Admin | Jul 18, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Akure Magistrate Court in Ondo State has remanded in prison custody four culprits arrested for the kidnapping and murder of Olumide Odimayo, a former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. The four culprits are David Seimoyenga, 22; Fikesie Inuesokan, 26; Bekewei Francis, 50; and Gbamila Success, 21, who masterminded the abduction of the late chieftain at his Igbotu residence in Ese Odo local government area of the state. A SaharaReporters correspondent gathered that the four culprits are currently facing charges of conspiracy, felony, armed robbery and kidnapping before the court. According to the charge sheet, the culprits abducted Mr. Odimayo on June 15, 2017 at about 6:00 a.m. and took him to an unknown destination with the intent of holding him for ransom. “The four accused later robbed the APC chieftain of his three (3) mobile phones (Samsung Galaxy) and deliberately killed him when the family could not quickly provide the ransom,” the charge sheet read. The charge sheet obtained by SaharaReporters further read that the offenses are punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006. Prosecuting counsel Martins Bakare said the police have diligently carried out their investigation over the case, citing the contents in the charge sheet. Mr. Bakare counseled the court to send a duplicate of the file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). He also pleaded with the court to remand the four accused persons in the custody of the Olokuta Maximum Prison pending the legal advice of the DPP. The counsels to the accused persons,...
by Admin | Jul 18, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A total of 322 inmates in Ikoyi and Kirikiri prisons in Lagos State registered for the West African Senior Secondary Examination, WASSCE, in the past three years, an official has said. The Controller of Prisons, Lagos State Command, Tunde Ladipo, gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos. The controller said that inmates only sat for WASSCE for private candidates for ordinary level certificate. Mr. Ladipo said that 206 of the inmates were from Ikoyi Prison, while 116 were from the Kirikiri Prison, Apapa. According to the controller, 75 inmates of Ikoyi Prison registered for the 2017 WASSCE for private candidates. He said that 66 of Ikoyi Prison inmates sat for the examination in 2016 and 65 inmates in 2015. Mr. Ladipo said 20 inmates of the Maximum Security Prison, Kirikiri, sat for the examination in 2015 while 25 sat for it in 2016. He said that 21 inmates of the Medium Security Prison, Kirikiri, sat for the examination in 2016 while 17 took the examination in 2015. The controller told NAN that 14 inmates of the Female Prison, Kirikiri, took the examination in 2015 while 19 sat for it in 2016. He said that no inmate of the Kirikiri Prison had registered for the examination in 2017 due to lack of sponsorship. He added that 59 inmates of the Ikoyi Prison sat for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, while 32 inmates of the prison sat for the examination in 2016. According to Mr. Ladipo, Kirikiri Prison inmates do not sit for UTME but secure admission directly into...
by Admin | Jul 18, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that former Governor of Jigawa State, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki be remanded in Kuje prison in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. By the order given by Justice Nnamdi Dimba, Turaki is to remain in prison pending when he is able to meet the conditions attached to the bail granted him follwoing his arraignment on a 32-count charge. Turaki, who was earlier granted bail on liberal terms on July 14 by the vacation judge of the High Court of the FCT, Justice Yusuf Halilu, was arraigned before the Federal High Court on Tuesday on a the charge filed in 2007 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The ex-Governor, who was rearrested by the EFCC on July 4 at a social function in Abuja, after jumping bail and allegedly evading arrest for about six years, was arraigned on Tuesday with three companies INC Natural Resources Ltd, Arkel Construction Nigeria Ltd and Wildcat Construction Ltd. Turaki was granted bail at N500million, with two sureties at N250,000 each. He is to submit his travel documents to the court, and is to seek the court’s permission before travelling abroad. He is to report to the EFCC one in a month. SOURCE: THE...
by Admin | Jul 18, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The refusal of Deposit Money Banks (DMB) to participate in the recently launched e-auction bidding exercise of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday unsettled its Comptroller-General, Col. Hameed Alli (rtd), who accused the banks of sabotaging the service’s effort at collecting revenue for the federation. He said that: “I am surprised and I don’t know what to say. This is an economic sabotage. The money you are going to collect is not coming to Customs, it is not coming to me as a person, it is going to the federation account that will be distributed to the three tiers of government. So, you deny that.” The Customs boss spoke in an interactive session with the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of 17 banks that honoured his invitation to his office in Abuja. He expressed surprised that the same banks that participated in auction exercise when it was run manually distanced themselves from the ongoing automated auction system, leaving only Jaiz Bank as the sole participants. With the participation of one bank, the process was cumbersome for the bidders, who concluded that the exercise was skewed to favour Northners and Muslims. He was surprised that the same banks that collect duties for the NCS were reluctant to be part of the e-auction bidding process. Alli said that “for us to initiate this process and the banks pull out calls for concern. One is that we want to get some funds from there. Two, it’s going to ease the process of what we do, and it will encourage transparency in what we do. And the essence of what we...
by Admin | Jul 18, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A high profile Boko Haram terrorist, Konto Fanami, and three other repentant terrorists have surrendered to the Nigerian Army on Monday. The Army Spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, announced this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday. Usman said that the four repentant terrorists willingly deserted their hideouts and surrendered themselves to 120 Task Force Battalion at Goniri in Borno. He described Fanami as the Ameer (leader) of “Kafa hideout of the Boko Haram terrorists group that operates on Ajigin-Talala-Mungusum axis.’’ “During preliminary interrogation, they confirmed that they abandoned the terrorism because of incessant hardship and realising that they were misled by their terrorist group leaders. “They further stated they were also erroneously misinformed and brainwashed about Islam and the Nigerian military and the society generally. “The remorseful surrendered terrorists regretted their involvement in terrorism and marvelled at the courtesy and humane treatment accorded them by the military on surrendering,’’ the army spokesman said. He called on other remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists to follow suit and renounce the “devilish creed.’’ Usman said that adequate arrangements had been made to receive all those that voluntarily renounced terrorism and surrendered themselves, assuring that they would be treated “humanely.’’...
by Admin | Jul 18, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A video has surfaced online of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in their thousands showing support for the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose. In the video, IPOB members surrounded the convoy of the EkitI governor while chanting, “Fayose we love you, Fayose we love you.” Recall that the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors Forum had recently declared that his state is part of Biafra. Fayose had made the declaration while addressing journalists during the bail hearing of Kanu at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Buhari’s govt built on lies, can’t rescue Nigeria from recession – Reno Omokri “Ekiti State is now part of Biafra,” he declared. Biafra supporters express absolute joy as they chant behind Governor Ayo Fayose’s convoy. Are you based in Ekiti state? What do you think of the governor and his administration so far?Credit: Lere OlayinkaLike NAIJ.com for more trending videos! Posted by NAIJ.com on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 SOURCE: DAILY...
by Admin | Jul 17, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 39 year old mother of three identified as Omotayo Salawudeen has confessed to killing her husband in Oshogbo, in Osun state. Omotayo, who said she was “just angry” with her late husband, 43 years old Salawudeen Hakeem, told journalists that she contracted one 24yrd old ex- convict Oladapo Dolapo to do the job. The suspect made the confession while, being paraded alongside her accomplice by the Osun state police command, in Oshogbo, on Monday. According to her, the late husband was a good person who always took care of her needs and that of her children. She said “We’ve been married for seventeen years, we are blessed with three children aged 17, 15 and 12” “He didn’t not offend me, I was just mad at him” “I choked him pillow, after having sex and Dolapo stabbed him to death with knife. “I regret my action. I didn’t know it would feel this way” The accomplice, Oladapo Dolapo also corroborated the confession of the wife. He said the suspect (wife) contracted him to punish her husband by killing him, with a promise to give him whatever he requested, if the operation is...
by Admin | Jul 17, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Police Command in Borno said on Monday that a total of 12 persons were killed while 18 others sustained various degrees of injuries in multiple suicide bomb attacks in Maiduguri. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Damian Chukwu, made this known while confirming the attack at a news briefing in Maiduguri. Chukwu said that the death toll included four female suicide bombers. The commissioner, however, disclosed that soldiers deployed to Mammanti and Cimeri area, foiled an attempt by three other suicide female bombers to penetrate Maiduguri metropolis. He said that two of the attackers were intercepted and killed by soldiers at about 11:59 p.m., on Sunday at Mammanti village in Konduga local government area. Chukwu said that the military also intercepted and killed one suicide bomber who tried to enter Maiduguri at Cimeri area of Mafa local government. He said that the fourth suicide bomber denoted the explosive strapped on her body at a mosque at about 4.30 a.m. in London Ciki area on the outskirts of Maiduguri. “The suicide bomber detonated IED, blew herself up and killed eight persons. “Security operatives have foiled three of the attempted suicide bomb attacks while only one of them carried out the attack and all the four suicide bombers were killed in the attack.’’ Chukwu added that all the attacks occurred at the outskirts of the metropolis. According to him, those wounded in the attacks were rushed to University of Maiduguri, Teaching Hospital for medical attention. The commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to protect lives and property, urging the people to be vigilant and provide useful information to security agencies....
by Admin | Jul 17, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The court of appeal lagos Division, on Monday affirmed the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos which sentenced nine foreigners to five years’ imprisonment each, for stealing crude oil from Nigeria. The convicts are Axel Jabone, Zahirul Islam, Juanito Infantado, Suarin Alave, Gatila Gadayan, Islam Shahinul, Islam Rafiqul, Shaikh Nomany and Rolando Comendador. They were tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a four-count bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum products. of Appeal’s three-man panel, comprising Justices Hussein Mukhtar (presiding), M. L. Shuaib and Frederick Oho, dismissed the appeal, for lack of merit. Justice Oho, who delivered the judgment, resolved all the issues in favour of the EFCC. He said, “All the issues are resolved against the appellants. The appeal is manifestly unmeritorious and is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit.’’ On Dec. 15, 2015, the lower court convicted the foreigners — five Filipinos and four Bangladeshi — of stealing 3,423.097 metric tonnes of crude oil. Justice Ibrahim Buba, who gave the judgment, however, gave each of them an option of N20m fine. He said it was the likes of the convicts that give Nigeria a bad name. Buba found them guilty on all the counts and sentenced them to five years imprisonment each, saying that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubts. He also said that the convicts’ inability to prove that they had lawful permits to deal in crude oil further strengthened the prosecution’s case. Buba agreed with a prosecution witness who testified that the stolen product was illegally sourced in Nigeria as “the Department of Petroleum Resources confirmed to...
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