TheNewsGuru

Tag: Crime

  • N700m fraud: EFCC arraigns Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, 4 others

    A Federal High Court sitting in Benin City has adjourned to June 11, 2018 for the arraignment of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the last gubernatorial election in Edo state.

    Four others to be arraigned alongside are: Lucky Imasuen, former deputy governor of Edo State; Chief Dan Orbih, PDP chairman in Edo State; Tony Azigbemi and Efe Erimuoghae Anthony.

    The quintet were said to have conspired among themselves to committ an offence contrary to the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

    During court proceedings today, May 16, 2018, the arraignment of the defendants could not hold because of the failure of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Chief Dan Orbih to appear in court in person.

    Counsel to Dan Orbih, Chief Ferdinard O. Orbih, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, told the court that his client was outside the shores of Nigeria attending to his health needs. .

    He further told the court that it was out of respect his client had for the court that he instructed him to be in court and that his client would be available at the next court sitting. .

    The same argument was canvassed by Ikhide Ehighelua, counsel to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who told the court that his client was out of the country attending to his health. .

    The EFCC is seeking to prosecute the five top PDP members in Edo State over their alleged role in the N700 million they purportedly received prior to the 2015 general election.

     

  • N650m fraud: Ex-Minister Akinjide’s statement not under duress – EFCC

    A prosecution witness, Usman Zakari, in the ongoing trial of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, and others, on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, told Justice Muslim S. Hassan of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos that the former minister was not mandated to write down her statement upon her invitation to the Commission’s office.

    Akinjide alongside Senator Ayo Adeseun and a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, Chief Olanrewaju Otiti, were re-arraigned on January 16, 2018, on an amended 24-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N650m.

    They were alleged to have received the money from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in the build-up to the 2015 general election. .

    The money was part of the $115million allegedly disbursed by Alison- Madueke to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

    The judge had, on April 9, 2018, ordered a trial within trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements, in view of the claim by the defendant that her statement was made under duress and inducement.

    However, at the resumed hearing today, Zakari, an investigator with the #EFCC, while being cross-examined by the counsel to the first defendant, Bolaji Ayoride, SAN, told the court that he did not specifically request her to make a statement, but that she volunteered to reduce the interview in writing.

    Zakari told the court that the first defendant reported to the EFCC office in company with her lawyer and husband on August 9, 2016, where she was interviewed. .

    “She volunteered her statement, and I supervised the writing of the statement after reading the cautionary words to her,” he added.

    When he was asked if there was a manual for interrogation of suspects, Zakari said he did not know of any, adding that “I relied on the training I got both internationally and locally as well as the experience gathered on the job over the years.

     

  • Facebook romance turns sour, lover ends up in jail

    Facebook romance turns sour, lover ends up in jail

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday secured the conviction of a Facebook lover, Ikechukwu Elom Awoke.

    TheNewsGuru reports Awoke conviction was secured before Justice A. Y. Sanya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a 2-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy and cheating to tune of N350,000.00.

    He was sentenced to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N50,000 for conspiracy on count one and eighteen months imprisonment with option of fine of N50,000 for cheating on count two.

    The case was triggered by a petition dated August 16, 2017 by one Noami Wanya, who claimed she met the convict through Facebook, and in the process entered into a relationship with the aim of marrying each other.

    In the course of the relationship, Awoke fraudulently obtained N350,000.00 from the petitioner through his account domiciled in one of the old generation banks, prompting the victim to petition the EFCC.

    According to the EFCC, Awoke’s offence is contrary to and punishable under Sections 320 (a) and 322 of the Penal Code Law Cap 102, Laws of Borno State.

    Awoke pleaded guilty to the two counts and was convicted and sentenced by the court after a review of the facts of the case.

     

  • Crime rate down by 50 per cent in North – Nigerian Army

    The 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna on Wednesday said the crime rate in the north had gone down by about 50 percent due to increase synergy between security agencies and the general public.

    The Division’s Chief of Staff, Sanusi Dahiru, a brigadier general, made this known in Kaduna when he received participants of Senior Executive Course 40 of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS).

    Mr Dahiru noted that the security threat posed by cattle rustlers, armed bandits, illegal immigrants, Boko Haram and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria reduced drastically.

    “The division has been actively engaged in internal and external security through our various operational commitments like the operation MESA, operation SALAMA, operation Lafiya Dole among others.

    “The Division had also carried out activities between the military and the civil populace, some of which include medical outreach, provision of boreholes to communities among others.

    “We also collaborate with other security agencies where we give them training, and we are planning to have a joint operation centers with other security agencies”, he said.

    He added that non kinetic approach would help in tackling security challenges in the country.

    “There is need for non-kinetic approaches by involving traditional rulers in creating awareness on security and the encouragement of artisanship to keep the youth busy.”

    Earlier, the General Officer Commanding, Muhammed Muhammed, a major general, expressed the belief that current security challenges in the country would be overcome through interactions with stakeholders.

    “I want you to understand that the security challenges are so diverse, from cattle rustling, kidnapping, armed banditry and so on.

    “Some are so endemic that requires much more than kinetic means to unravel them, so our interaction should assist us to find solutions to some of the challenges”, he said.

    Meanwhile, the team leader, Celestine Bassey, had earlier stated that the aim of the study tour was to see how the military has been tackling security challenges in the country.

    “As this year’s theme focuses on security management and community policing, we are here in Kaduna to see how the threat has been used to effectively manage security”, he said.

     

  • $2.1bn fraud: EFCC files 13 extra charges against Dasuki

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 13 extra charges against former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), who is alleged of criminal diversion of funds to the tune of $2.1 billion.

    TheNewsGuru reports the money was part of funds earmarked by the Federal Government to fight Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast.

    According to Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, counsel to the EFCC, the charge was amended to remove the second defendant and also to bring up fresh charges against the other defendants. With the amendment, the initial counts of 19 preferred against the defendants have increased to 32.

    Dasuki is facing trial alongside Attahiru Bafarawa, a former governor of Sokoto State; his son, Sagir Bafarawa; a former Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu; a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda as well as Sagir’s firm, Dalhatu Investment.

    According to the EFCC, other defendants in the matter had frantically sought to be separately tried, to ensure speedy determination of their cases, but eventually lost the bid at the Supreme Court on March 2, 2018, which decision ordered accelerated hearing, instead.

    Consequently, the trial court, presided over by Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, fixed April 13, for a pre-trial conference, in other to ensure effective management of the two separate charges against Dasuki and other defendants.

    At the resumed sitting today, Jacobs informed the court about the outcome of the conference and also told the court about the amended charge, urging the court to accept it.

    “In line with your Lordship’s directive, we held the conference, except that the senior counsels for the defendants were not there. They sent their juniors to represent them.

    “My Lord, their attitude is to oppose everything we seek to tender. We have served them the additional documents and we have also filed an amended charge dated and filed April 30, 2018.

    “I urge my Lord to accept the amended charge and allow it,” he said.

     

  • EFCC arrests, parades four yahoo-yahoo boys

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested four suspected Internet fraudsters aka yahoo-yahoo boys and recovered exotic cars and charms from them.

    The Lagos Zonal Head of the Commission, Akanninyene Ezima, made this known today, saying the diabolic Internet fraudsters were arrested in the Lekki area of Lagos State on Saturday.

    “It is to checkmate the activities of these undisciplined elements who want to reap where they did not sow.

    “By this action, we are also sending a red alert to the so-called yahoo-yahoo boys that engaging in fraudulent deeds, does not pay,” the Zonal Head said while speaking on the Commission’s renewed clampdown on Internet fraudsters

    TheNewsGuru reports the arrested suspects are: Ale Daniel, Tunde Badmus, Adams Tunde Adedeji and Ajiboye Gbenga.

    Photos of Ale Daniel, Tunde Badmus, Adams Tunde Adedeji and Ajiboye Gbenga arrested by EFCC
    Photos of Ale Daniel, Tunde Badmus, Adams Tunde Adedeji and Ajiboye Gbenga arrested by EFCC

    The quartet were arrested following intelligence report received by the Commission about their activities, alleging that they were living flamboyantly without known sources of income.

    Ezima urged landlords, particularly in gated communities, to always carry out background checks on their tenants so as not to unwittingly run afoul of Section 3 (Three) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.

    “A person who, being the occupier or is concerned in the management of any premises, causes or knowingly permits the premises to be used for any purpose which constitutes an offence under this Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more than 15 years and not less than five years without the option of a fine,” the Section read.

    According to the RFCC, the suspects will soon be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

     

  • EFCC officials visit Gov. Okowa

    Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) visited Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in his Asaba office to solicit the support of the state government to effectively deal with economic and financial crimes in the state.

    Mailafia Yakubu, who led the Benin Zonal office of the Commission on the courtesy visit, told the governor that the EFCC officially commenced operations last year in Benin City, Edo State and that the Benin Zonal office covers Edo, Delta and Ondo states.

    He said the essence of the visit was to ask for the support of the state government so that the EFCC can effectively deal with economic and financial crimes especially oil theft and advance fee fraud.

    Governor Okowa in his remarks called on Nigerians to support the EFCC in the fight against corruption in order to secure the nation’s economy.

    “Partnering with the EFCC and other security agencies will go a long way in securing the economy of Nigeria,” said Okowa who received the EFCC team on March 8, 2018.

    The governor assured that the state government will work with the EFCC to tackle corruption in the state, and, however, lamented that one area where economic crime has assumed a frightening dimension was illegal oil bunkering.

    According to him, aside from the loss of money by the federal government, the environment also suffers from degradation through the constant destruction of oil pipelines.

    He, therefore, charged the Commission to collaborate with other sister agencies to bring those responsible to book.

    Meanwhile, the EFCC team also paid a courtesy visit to the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshall Umukoro, where Yakubu commended the Nigeria judiciary for their effort in the fight against corruption.

    He said the hundreds of convictions which the EFCC has secured since its establishment would not have been possible without the support of the judiciary.

    The state chief judge who commended EFCC’s efforts in combating corruption, however, urged the agency to avoid coming to court with cases which can easily be settled through dispute resolution mechanism.

    “Avoid using a sledgehammer to kill a fly,” he stated.

    The EFCC team also visited the State Commissioner for Police, Muhammed Mustafa who pledged the support of the Nigeria Police.

     

  • El-Rufai’s incessant sack of civil servants will increase crime rate in Kaduna – PDP

    …backs ongoing teachers’ strike

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday said it was in support of the current indefinite strike by public school teachers in Kaduna State.

    The State Chairman of PDP, Mr Felix Hyat made the declaration in a statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Abraham Catoh in Kaduna.

    He faulted the state government on its threat to sack teachers that joined the strike, stressing that strike was “a legal means for all civil servants to seek redress on the injustice presently meted out on them.’’

    According to the PDP chairman, the sack of the teachers was callous, insensitive and meant to increase the level of unemployment and poverty in the state.

    “The incessant sack of civil servants in the state, if allowed to continue unabated, would definitely lead to high rate of crime, social vices and would dampen the morale of civil servants in the state,” Hyat added.

    The PDP chairman also faulted the provision of N1 billion in the state 2018 budget to construct new legislative quarters after selling the ones on ground by the government.

    “We condemned this act in its entirety, for it is another ploy to fleece the resources of the people of our state of their collective commonwealth.’’

    Hyat also accused the state government of undertaking “fictitious projects and consultancy contracts’’ with no bearing or direct impact on the masses.

    On security, the state PDP chairman said Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i has demonstrated “ineptitude and lack of capacity to curb the insecurity challenge bedevilling the state.’’

    According to the chairman, the PDP would “reinstate all unjustly sacked civil servants’’ if elected in 2019.

    He advised the electorate to use their permanent voter card to vote out the APC government in the state in 2019.

    Reacting to the statement, the State APC Director, Media and Publicity, Mr Manasseh Istifanus said the party would not exchange words with the PDP.

    He, however, said the sack of teachers and other civil servants was part of ongoing reforms in the civil service.

    According to him, the state government would replace the over 21,000 teachers sacked with 25, 000 qualified ones that would add value to the education sector.

    On the N1 billion budgeted for the building of legislative quarters by the government, Istifanus dismissed the claim as mere “concoction’’ by the PDP.

    He stressed that the government had considered so many factors in arriving at the number of civil servants being disengaged, so as to rejuvenate and inject vibrancy in the state civil service.

     

     

     

  • Shun politics, join me to fight crime in Rivers – Wike tells police IG

    The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday urged the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to join him to fight crime to a standstill in his state.

    Speaking during the National Security Summit in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Wike also urged politicians to join him in putting an end to the issue of insecurity in Rivers State.

    Wike called on all stakeholders to put aside politics in the fight against insecurity in his state.

    The governor also used the opportunity to declare that he has nothing personal against the police boss.

    According to Wike, “If we don’t work together, how do we fight crime? I have told everybody who cares we are all politicians. Join me to fight crime in my state. When the time for politics comes, don’t worry, I know how to do it, but for now fight crime for me.

    “I keep emphasizing, fight crime for me when the time comes for politics the people will decide. Insecurity stemS out of not allowing the people exercise their will. If you want to do things against the will of the people, they will resist and this will resort to violence.

    “If tomorrow, INEC, decided to conduct election and they bring a struck load of mobile police men, army civil defence to carry the ballot boxes and the people says it will not happen here and if they want to show their superiority, anything can happen.

    “I came here to support the IG and I want to say nobody has any personal thing against you. I want to assure you that if you send your boys to the streets to fight crime, I will continue to give them my support.”

  • Poverty not excuse for committing crimes — cleric

    Rev. Emmanuel Adeniyi of the Banner of Christ Church, Adegbayi, Ibadan, says poor living standard arising from poverty, should not be an excuse for anybody to commit crime or sin against God.

    He gave the warning in his sermon on Sunday in Ibadan and expressed concern over increase in the crime rate across the country, especially among people that claimed to be Christians.

    “It is disheartening when you read newspapers or listen to radio and heard Christian names arrested for involving in criminal activities.

    “Some of them would say hunger or lack of money made them to steal, involve in one crime or the other.

    “Such excuse can never be tenable before God, there is no waiver to the ten commandments of God and whoever that steals, fornicates or involves in any criminality is of Satan,’’ he stated.

    The cleric called on Christians to uphold the tenets of Christianity, shun evil deeds, love one another and seek the kingdom of God.

    He charged Christians to be hard working in their respective places of work and urged jobless ones to engage in meaningful ventures.

    Adeniyi further admonished Christians to beware of fake prophets, saying the agents of Satan were everywhere to deceive people.