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Category: Crime

35 suspected ISWAP fighters, tension heightens in Abuja

A joint operation launched by the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency, the police and other security agencies has successfully dismantled a terror cell and arrested five Islamic State West Africa Province commanders and 30 fighters.

The terror suspects were apprehended at their hideouts in different locations in Abuja, Mararaba and other satellite towns in the Federal Capital Territory. Our correspondent learnt that the suspects were being held at a DSS facility.The arrests were made amid heightened tension in the nation’s capital as the popular Jabi Lake Mall shut its doors to shoppers and visitors on Thursday, citing the security situation.

To discourage criminal activities, the FCT Administration demolished shanties on Law School land, saying it was part of security measures.

Also, the United Kingdom issued a fresh security alert warning British nationals against visiting Abuja and 14 other states.

This further sparked anxiety among residents as many stayed away from work while vehicular traffic was unusually light.

In addition, the United States Mission and the British High Commission suspended consular services.

But the counter-intelligence operations which netted the suspected militants continued on Thursday with more arrests. It was said to have the backing of the US security and intelligence agencies.

Our correspondent could, however, not confirm the number of additional suspects that were picked up during the Thursday raid.

It was further learnt that the intelligence agencies had been on the trail of the insurgents before the US and the British High Commission issued security alerts last Sunday, warning their citizens about impending terrorist attacks.

The US Embassy in Abuja had issued an alert for “an elevated risk of terror attacks” in the city, saying that possible targets include government buildings, places of worship and other public places.

In response to this development, the US government authorised the departure of its non-essential employees and their families from Nigeria.

The US State Department in its updated Nigeria travel advisory on Tuesday evening said, “On October 25, 2022, the Department authorised the departure of non-emergency US government employees and family members due to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks.’’

The British High Commission in Nigeria also took a similar step and restricted entry to its premises in an updated terrorism alert.

On Monday, security operatives arrested two terror suspects at Trademore Estate in Lugbe area of Abuja.

ISWAP fighters

Security sources explained that the ISWAP members relocated to the FCT following the heavy bombardment of their enclaves and camps in the North-West by the Nigerian Air Force.

Giving more insight into the ongoing counter-intelligence operations, a security source revealed that the terror suspects were planning a big attack in Abuja before they were nabbed.

The source disclosed that the detained fighters were providing useful information which had led to the arrest of some of their members masquerading as artisans, cart pushers and security guards in the city.

A senior officer stated, ‘’A massive counter-intelligence operation is going on to disrupt, neutralise and destroy the ISWAP terrorists in the FCT. Many commanders and their foot soldiers have been arrested and they are currently helping us in our investigations. About five commanders and 30 fighters have been apprehended but we expect to capture more suspects as we widen our dragnet.’’

The DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya said he had not been briefed on the arrest of the terrorists when one of our correspondents contacted him.

The Director, Defence Information, Major Jimmy Akpor did not pick up calls to his line and has yet to respond to a text message sent to him on the matter.

October 28, 2022
Chidinma transferred N5m from Ataga’s account – Witness

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square on Thursday heard how Chidinma Ojukwu transferred the sum of N5m on June 15, 2021, from Usifo Ataga’s account to another account.

The ninth prosecution witness, DSP Olusegun Bamidele, told the court while testifying in the ongoing trial of a 300-level Mass Communication undergraduate of the University of Lagos, Chidinma, who allegedly murdered the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga.

The security guard of the short-let service apartment, Abubakar Mohammed, where Ataga was murdered had during his evidence before the court on November 16, 2021, said that Chidinma left the apartment on Tuesday night which was June 15, 2021 and never came back.

He had also told the court that it was on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, that the dead body of Ataga was discovered.

Ojukwu is standing trial before Justice Yetunde Adesanya for the alleged murder of Ataga.

She is also charged with stealing and forgery alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Adenike Oluwafemi, told the court that the matter was for continuation of trial.

Bamidele, who had not finished giving evidence, was hauled into the witness box.

Oluwafemi asked for exhibit P11, which is the Access Bank statement of Ataga and asked the witness to tell the court why he had the bank statement of the deceased.

Bamidele said on June 15, the first defendant used the deceased’s phone to transfer N5m from his account to another bank.

“On June 16, 2021, four transactions of N20,000 was made from the deceased’s account on June 17, another withdrawal of N20,000 was made five times and the remarks was transfer between customers.

“On same June 16, N50,000 was transferred to Nkech Mogbo, another N11,200 was also transferred to Caprical Capital. On the same June 16, another N50,000 was transferred from Ataga’s account to Mogbo and another N93,000 transferred from Ataga’s GTBank account to his Access Bank account.

“A transfer of N110,000.75 kobo was debited from the deceased’s account on June 18, 2021.

“On June 19, 2021, a transfer of N20,000 was made four times; on that same day, another transfer of N20,000 was made five times and it was through the USSD code,” Bamidele said.

The witness also explained to the court how they wrote GTB to get Ataga’s statement of account.

He said on June 13, 2021, there was an internet transfer of N10,000 to Chidinma; another N105,000 was also transferred to Chidinma on same June 13, for the payment of the short service let, paid to Nkechi Mogbo, the owner of the apartment.

“On that same June 13, there was a N13,000 purchase transaction at Ango Villa, 14,200, transaction for purchase at Dwine Bar global, on the same June 13, there was a transfer of N20,399.

“On June 14, 2021, there was N21,000 transfer from Ataga’s account to Chidinma’s account and another transfer of N15,000 paid to Chidinma, there was a N5000 transaction that was made on June 14 and paid to Adiba Online choppy,” he said.

When the prosecution sought to admit the written statements of the defendants, Chidinma’s counsel, Onwuka Egwu, objected to the admissibility of the document.

He said she didn’t make the statements voluntarily that the statements were obtained by oppression, inducement, intimidation and under duress and urged the court to test the veracity of the voluntariness of the statements.

The second defendant’s counsel, Babatunde Busari, did not object, but said the third defendant’s counsel, Miss M. A. Abia-Bassey, did not also object.

However, the prosecutor prayed the court to conduct trial within trial for Chidinma.

Consequently, Justice Adesanya adjourned the case to November 8 for trial within trial.

Ojukwu was arraigned alongside two others – Adedapo Quadri and Chioma Egbuchu – on October, 12, 2021, on a nine-count over alleged murder of Ataga, preferred against them by Lagos State Government.

Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.

The third defendant, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count of receiving a stolen iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.

Ojukwu and Quadri were alleged to have conspired and murdered Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him several times with a knife on the neck and chest.

October 27, 2022
Kidnapped Enugu SSG: Hope rises as Ugwuanyi, Security heads visit troubled highway

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Thursday, led the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Umar Musa, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, the Director of Department of State Services (DSS) H.M Daluwa, the Garrison Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. M.K Ibrahim, among others, to Ugwogo-Opi road on a strategic assessment of the area, including the hideouts of kidnappers, with a view to decisively ending the recent kidnapping incidents along the road.

Addressing newsmen during the on-the-spot assessment visit, the GOC, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Musa, who spoke on behalf of the other heads of security agencies in the state, confirmed that “the perpetrators are purely kidnappers.”

He assured the public that the combined-team of the security agencies are taking further steps into the bush to apprehend the perpetrators, rescue the victims and end the menace along the road.

“I assure you that we are going to go deep into the bush to pursue them and ensure they do not perpetrate more harm along the road,” he said.

Acknowledging the presence of Gov. Ugwuanyi on the visit and his utmost commitment towards ending the security challenges being posed by the hoodlums along the Ugwogo-Opi road, the GOC assured the public that “these criminals will be fished out and they will be dealt with.”

Maj. Gen. Musa advised members of the public to report to the security agencies whenever there is any incident rather than rushing to the social media, stressing that “news items on social media platforms are usually unconfirmed incidents and could send wrong notion to the public.”

The GOC maintained that Enugu remains a peaceful state notwithstanding the unfortunate incidents along Ugwogo-Opi road, saying: “We are here; we have seen the deployment; this state is peaceful but once in a while you have criminals and I assure you that these criminals will be fished out and they will be dealt with.”

Earlier, Gov. Ugwuanyi visited the GOC 82 Division of the Nigeria Army in his office in Enugu where they met behind closed doors before they embarked on the assessment visit to Ugwogo-Opi road with other heads of security agencies.

October 27, 2022
BREAKING: Former Enugu SSG, others kidnapped as herdsmen takeover Enugu highway

A former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Dr. Dan Shere has been abducted.

He is among several other commuters kidnapped along the Enugu-Ugwuogo Nike-Nsukka Road on Thursday

Shere, a medical doctor, served under the administration of former Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani.

A source told our correspondent that the Enugu politician was travelling to Nsukka for a meeting when the gunmen attacked him alongside other travellers.

One of the survivors, who shared a video of the attack, said the gunmen were about eight in number.

“They shot severally at our vehicle; one of us was hit by the bullets. But our driver managed to move on. We succeeded in taking the victim to the hospital,” he narrated while thanking God for saving him and four others from the same community.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the kidnappers, who are said to be Fulani herdsmen, have increased their ransom demand on those they earlier picked on Sunday.

“They earlier demanded the sum of N2m on one of the victims but they have now increased it to N30m. They search the phones of the victims to know their status,” the source said.

An enquiry sent to the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Enugu State Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe has not been returned as of the time of filing this report.

Daily Post

October 27, 2022
Burglar sentenced 21 years for stealing rice

An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, has sentenced a burglar, Jimoh Dele, to 21 years’ imprisonment.

According to the charge, the defendant, on May 11, 2020, around Mobil Petrol Station, Waterworks, in the Ajilosun area of Ado Ekiti, broke into a building “as well as a shop belonging to Oluwayemisi Adeleye and carted away goods and foodstuffs worth over N234,000.”

The prosecutor, Kunle Adeyemo, said the offences were contrary to sections 413 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

In her statement to the police, the complainant said, “My shop was burgled twice, in May 2020 and June 2021 during which my foodstuffs and soup ingredients, including rice, semovita, wheat and tomato paste, among others, which I was selling, were stolen.”

A policeman, Sergeant Oladele Ayodeji, in his testimony before the court, said the defendant was arrested on November 19, 2021.

“During interrogation, he confessed to have participated in criminal activities such as kidnapping, burglary and stealing, including breaking into the complainant’s shop,” he added.

Justice Olalekan Olatawura, who found the defendant guilty, sentenced him to 14 years on count one and seven years on count two.

October 26, 2022
Lady found dead in C’River hotel, lover on the run

An unidentified lady has been found dead in a hotel in Calabar, Cross River State.

The incident happened at a guest house on the State Housing Estate, Calabar.

The victim was said to have lodged in the hotel with a man said to be on the run.

It was gathered that the police from the State Housing Police Station arrested some of the hotel workers in connection with the incident.

Further details about the incident were sketchy as of the time of this report.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident, adding that investigations were ongoing.

She said, “Yes, we are aware of the incident and the story is true. A man and a woman lodged in a hotel and the woman was later found dead. We are investigating the matter.”

October 26, 2022
Breaking: Passengers, UNN students returning to school kidnapped in Enugu

Passengers travelling to Nsukka along the Ugwuogo-Nike/Opi/Nsukka road were on Sunday abducted by gunmen.

The passengers who were in over five vehicles including commuter vehicles were kidnapped while some narrowly escaped.

Many of the passengers were University of Nigeria, Nsukka students travelling back to School following resumption of academic activities.

A Twitter user @kamsisalita said “The cab guy that dropped my friend saw two cars get stopped with gunshots along the Nsukka expressway on his way back.
“He also left his car to go hide somewhere.

“ I counted at least 6 checkpoints on that road, yet no help was in sight. I’m genuinely terrified”.

Another twitter user @jobtheseeker also confirmed the incident.
The twitter user wrote “ It’s very true. My friend’s roommate sibling and mom were kidnapped yesterday. and my friends were almost kidnapped as well but escaped narrowly.

A mother and son are also among the victims and a ransom of N30 million is already being demanded by their captors.

Meanwhile, the Enugu State Police Command has revealed that a manhunt is ongoing to ensure the arrest of the hoodlums that attacked commuters along Ugwuogo-Nike/Opi/Nsukka road on Sunday, taking many people hostage.

The command disclosed this in a statement via a tweet.

The statement said the rescue operations was led by the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Ammani.

While assuring the residents in the state that the Command would not allow kidnapping to fester in the state, it also asked for support from the people in the state.

“Manhunt of the resurgent armed hoodlums alleged to have attacked road users at a point along Ugwuogo-Nike/Opi/Nsukka road is ongoing. CP Ahmed Ammani, fdc, personally led Operatives to comb forests in the area. We won’t allow this to fester! But we seek your usual support, pls.

A traveller Josiah who narrowly escaped being kidnapped narrated the horrific experience

He said “I escaped being a victim on Sunday. Passing by the supposed scene of the incident, I saw a lot of abandoned buses”.

“God is really keeping most of us in this country cos it’s clear even to the blind man that our security architecture is overwhelmed.

No hostage recovery at all’. He wrote on Twitter.

October 25, 2022
Natural Gas Association NAGEDAN meets, cautions against panic buying of natural gas

The Natural Gas and Auto gas/Electric Equipments Dealers association, NAGEDAN has held its 2nd Annual General meeting in Enugu.

The event which was held on 12th October 2022 provided an avenue for the leadership of the association to address some pressing issues affecting the association.

The meeting which was reportedly held at IPMAN secretariat witnessed a massive turn out of the foundation members of the association, from the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The meeting centred on reports of mobilization and sensitization of stakeholders both at the downstream and upstream of the natural gas sector by various state coordinators.

Speaking during the meeting, the National President of NAGEDAN, Owelle Oliver Ezeike maintained that the benefit of the Association to the members especially the small scale members is so humongous that it should not be neglected.

He emphasised that there is need for all hands to be on deck, to sensitize all the dealers in the natural gas value chain, to embrace the association and enjoy all its benefits in their businesses.

Amongst the topics discussed was the appointment of patrons. Three prominent players in the oil and gas industry were nominated for patronship.

The national president, Ezeike promised to contact them and make the offer officially.

Ezeike further advised members of the association not to use the present shut down of NLG plants to impoverish the masses by creating artificial scarcity and over profitialing in their outlets.

He recalled that the management of the LNG plant had announced a temporary shut down due to flooding menace to their facilities.

He also reminded the members that the LNG plant shut down is only momentary, as they would resume operation soon.

The NAGEDAN boss further asked the public not to engage in panic buying, as there’s no scarcity of the products in the country

October 25, 2022
Pressure mounts to arrest father who damaged 2-yr-old baby’s arm in Imo

The National Human Right Commission, NHRC, and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Imo State chapter, are now mounting pressure on the security agencies to arrest one 31-year-old, Mr Confidence Amatobi, from Amurie in the Isu local government area of the state, for allegedly using a plastic hanger to damage the right arm of his 2-year-old boy, a miracle.

It was gathered on Tuesday in Owerri, NAWOJ, NHRC, have been collaborating with the security agencies to arrest the suspect.

The reason for the attack on the infant by the suspected father was that the baby was allegedly crying too much and distracting him (the father).

The attack on the baby by the said father, now at large had resulted in the amputation of the right arm of the 2-year-old baby, at the Pediatrics of the federal medical centre, FMC, Owerri.

The state chairman of NAWOJ, Dorothy Nnaji, alleged that “The perpetrator Mr Confidence Amatobi, who hails Amurie in Isu L.G.A used a plastic hanger on the baby, simply because he was crying that the 20-year-old mother left to ease herself. He used wood and elastic bands to tie the baby’s hand when he saw that his hand was broken and swollen.

“He locked the mother and baby to prevent her from talking to neighbours or seeking help. He also took her phone from her. After two days she found her way out and sought help from her neighbours. The guy was arrested by a vigilante but he escaped. By the time help came, the baby’s hand was already decayed. The only option was to cut off baby Miracle’s right hand.”

October 25, 2022
Court issues arrest warrant against Diezani Alison-Madueke

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, issued an arrest warrant against the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, believed to be residing in the UK.

Justice Bolaji Olajuwon granted the request, after counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Farouk Abdullah, made an oral application.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had fixed Nov. 3, 2021 for the EFCC to give a report on its effort at extraditing Alison-Madueke to the country to stand her trial, and for possible mention of the case.

But on the adjourned date, the case was stalled as neither Abdullah nor Alison-Madueke was in sight.

Justice Olajuwon then fixed today, Jan. 24, for the matter and adjourned for report or or for possible mention of the matter.

NAN reports that though Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu was initially the presiding judge in the matter, the case was reassigned to Justice Olajuwon, following the transfer of Ojukwu to the Calabar division of the court.

It would be recalled that Ojukwu had, on Oct. 28, 2020, rejected the EFCC’s prayer to issue a warrant of arrest against Alison-Madueke, citing the commission’s failure to enforce the earlier criminal summons, which the court issued on the former minister since July 24, 2020, saying court orders are not made in vain.

The commission had, in requesting for the criminal summons in July 2020, claimed that it was required to facilitate the ex-minister’s extradition to Nigeria.

Faced with the failure of the ex-minister to honour the summons, the EFCC, through its lawyer, Abdullah, urged Justice Ojukwu to issue a warrant of arrest against her, saying that the extradition process failed as a result of the absence of the warrant of arrest.

The judge, who turned down the request, directed the lawyer to file an affidavit to that effect supported by evidence from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and adjourned for report and possible arraignment of the defendant (Alison-Madueke).

However, when the matter was called on Monday, Abdullah was in court.

He told the court that all efforts by the agency to get the ex-minister extradited when the matter was before Ojukwu were unsuccessful.

Abdullah, who made an oral application for an arrest warrant, said the application was part of the requirements by the office of the AGF for the extradition.

He said that the arrest warrant was needed to further give the International Police (INTERPOL) the impetus to bring the defendant to Nigeria to answer to charges against her.

Justice Olajuwon then granted the application and adjourned the matter sine die pending when the defendant (Alison-Madueke) is arrested and produced in court.

NAN reports that Abdullah had, in an application, urged the court “to issue an arrest warrant against Alison-Madueke, who is believed to be in the UK to enable all law enforcement agencies and the INTERPOL to arrest her anywhere she is sighted and be brought before the court to answer to the allegation made against her before the court.”

He said since the summon had not been able to achieve the desired result, the need for a warrant of arrest cannot be over-emphasised.

NAN reports that the court had, on July 24, 2020, ordered the former minister to appear before it and answer to the money laundering charge filed against her by the EFCC.

The court gave the ruling in an ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CR/208/2018 brought by Abdullah.

The EFCC had accused the former minister of fleeing the country for the UK in order to escape justice, among others.

The lawyer, in a document filed along with the motion ex-parte, said it sought to question Alison-Madueke, without success, in relation to many allegations against her, including “her role as the Minister of Petroleum Resources and her role in the award of Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) to Septa Energy Limited, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited by NNPC.

He said it also wanted Alison-Madueke to respond to questions about “her role in the chartering of private jets by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Ministry of Petroleum Resources and her role in the award of contracts by NNPC to Marine and Logistics Services Limited.”

Abdallah said the agency was investigating Alison-Madueke‘s business relationships with Mr Donald Amamgbo, Mr Afam Nwokedi, Chief lkpea Leemon, Miss Olatimbo Bukola Ayinde, Mr Benedict Peters, Christopher Aire, Harcourt Adukeh, Julian Osula, Dauda Lawal, Nnamdi Okonkwo, Mr Leno Laithan, Sahara Energy Group and Midwestern Oil Limited, among others.

He added that Alison-Madueke was also required to clear air on “her role in financing the 2015 general elections, particularly the money that were warehoused at Fidelity Bank Plc in 2015 prior to the elections.”

He said it equally wanted the ex-minister to speak on several items, documents and Jeweleries recovered from her house at No: 10, Chiluba Close, off Jose Marti Street, Asokoro, Abuja, and some identified property that were linked to her In Nigeria, UK, U.S., United Arab Emirate and South Africa.

It would be recalled that the EFCC Chairman, Abdultasheed Bawa in the April 2021 edition of the agency’s in-house magazine, disclosed that the anti-corruption commission recovered 153 million dollars from Alison-Madueke.

Bawa said the agency also recovered the final forfeiture of over 80 property in Nigeria valued at about $80 million from the former minister, who has been living in the UK since leaving office some years ago.

The EFCC boss said he would want the former minister to face trial in Nigeria.

Besides, as part of the ongoing investigations of the former Petroleum Minister, the EFCC. on Dec. 15, 2021, said it arrested a former Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo, allegedly over an additional $72.87 million still in the coffers of the bank.

Okonkwo and Charles Onyedibe were quizzed by operatives over the latest discovery.

Okonkwo, who is the chairman of First Bank Holding, alongside others, had earlier been grilled over $153 million and another $115 million by the commission.

While all the 153 million dollars were recovered by the EFCC, the cases involving $115 million, as it relates with the Independent National Electoral Commission bribery matter, are in various courts. the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, had disclosed in a statement.(NAN)

October 25, 2022