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Tag: Ministry of Justice

  • Abia Govt sacks six workers over salary fraud

    Abia Govt sacks six workers over salary fraud

    The Abia State Government has dismissed six staff members of the Ministry of Justice over their involvement in a salary padding scheme.

    The Eno Jerry Eze, Chairman, Abia State Civil Service Commission in a statement disclosed that the affected officers were found guilty of manipulating payroll systems, resulting in the unlawful receipt of excess salaries.

    The statement listed the dismissed officers as Dickson Uche Eze – Principal Accountant (SGL 12); Esther Emeruwa – Senior Accountant (SGL 10); Ijeoma Jonathan – Chief Executive Officer (Accounts – SGL 14); Treasure Isinguzo – Assistant Chief Executive Officer (Accounts – SGL 13); Chioma Victoria Erondu – Principal Executive Officer (Accounts – SGL 12); and Hannah Ezinne Eze – Senior Executive Officer (General Duties – SGL 09).

    “The disciplinary action followed a detailed investigation by the Abia State Civil Service Commission, which independently interrogated the officers, reviewed relevant financial records, and confirmed that the above-named individuals had knowingly benefitted from irregular salary payments to the detriment of the State,” the statement read.

    However, the government noted that Mrs. Chioma Favour Madu, who was also initially investigated, has been cleared of wrongdoing.

    “Mrs. Chioma Favour Madu promptly reported the overpayment and took immediate steps to correct it,” the statement added.

    The investigation also raised concerns about the possible complicity of some members of the Salary Committee in the fraudulent scheme.

    According to Mrs Eze, “The Governor has directed that the activities of the Committee be subjected to a separate probe to ensure full accountability.”

    The indicted officers will be handed over to law enforcement agencies for prosecution.

    Eze emphasized the government’s commitment to transparency and zero tolerance for corruption, stating, “This decisive action underscores the commitment of the present administration to transparency, discipline, and zero tolerance for corruption in public service.”

    The government urged civil servants and stakeholders to remain committed to integrity and report any suspected irregularities.

    “We will not relent in our effort to rid the system of all forms of fraudulent malpractice and unethical conduct,” the statement concluded.

  • ‘I resist bribe to subvert justice daily – Reveals Gombe State Counsel,’ 2022 Integrity Icon

    ‘I resist bribe to subvert justice daily – Reveals Gombe State Counsel,’ 2022 Integrity Icon

    A 2022 Integrity Icon recipient and Assistant Chief State Counsel in the Gombe state Ministry of Justice, Mwalin Abdu, says she has been resisting bribes offered by some Nigerians daily.

    Abdu, renowned for her dedication to ensuring clinical dispensation of justice to perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence crimes in Gombe State, revealed the challenges associated with her job following her recognition as one of the five integrity icons by Accountability Lab Nigeria in 2022.

    Speaking during an anti-corruption radio programme, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG, Wednesday in Abuja, the legal practitioner said a lot of times people approach her with bribes, especially on cases of gender-based violence.

    Abdu said there were instances where she was offered bribes to subvert justice. She noted that her disposition not to compromise on standards over time has been helping to discourage more people from approaching her with bribe offers.

    “Bribe is something that occurs daily, and being on the field, specifically on issues of gender-based violence, they (bribes) are things that keep on coming up every day, so yes, I deal with such issues,” She stressed.

    On her motivation to be a person of integrity, Abdu said: “I would say it is God and my belief. Secondly, I will say that because of the nature of what I do, I believe that possibly by divine arrangement for me to be able to assist the next person, and most times, when I don’t assist, I find it difficult to sleep, and the third thing is my late dad. He has been one person that has always wanted me to stand out, not to compromise standard in whatever I do.”

    Abdu noted that her lifestyle is already severely impacting younger public servants within her sphere of influence, adding that she “plans to encourage and support the younger ones by mentoring them.”

    On his part, Strategic Communications Manager Accountability Lab Nigeria, Murkthar Suleiman, said the Integrity Icon Project of Accountability Lab Nigeria aims at the name and fame integrity in the public sector. He disclosed that a total of 1,749 nominations were received this year as persons of integrity as against 1,139 nominees in 2021.

    According to Suleiman, public servants nominated for integrity icon awards are subjected to torrid screening, with the main criteria being the consistency of the nominees in displaying integrity on their job.

    Explaining why the focus is on the integrity of public sector workers than the private sector, he said,” We prefer people in the public sector space because part of our work is to ensure that good governance works, that the dividends of democracy trickle down to the everyday citizens in the country and each time that we say the system is terrible, the system does not exist in abstraction, there are names and faces that ensure that the system is operational. As far as governance is concerned, the civil service is the system of government in the country.

    “The public service holders come, and they go. The political appointees come and they go, the president will come and go, but the civil service will remain. So when we say that the system is having an issue, we know that the system is built with those civil service officers.”

    Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Suleiman urged Nigerians to ensure they participate in the coming polls and not listen to individuals discouraging people from voting by saying, “votes will not count.”

    “People should go out and vote. One of the biggest lies the election riggers have and how they’ve convinced us is that our votes do not count, but they do. To win elections, I need votes. If people do not vote for you or people do not come out to vote, then you cannot rig the polls.

    “I think beyond looking at it as getting a person of integrity, we have to look at governance as a structure that encompasses many parts. So it is not just about the president but for the senators and the house members because this is where policies are passed,” Suleiman advised.

    Accountability Lab Nigeria is billed to host the 2022 Integrity Icon Awards on December 1, 2022, in Abuja. The 1,749 public servants nominated have been pruned to 5 persons ahead of the awards event.

    Mwalin Abdu will join the 4 other integrity icons in search of the coveted winner of the awards in about a fortnight from now.

    Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program used by PRIMORG to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.

    The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation.

  • Prison decongestion: Justice Ministry secures release of 12,000 inmates

    Prison decongestion: Justice Ministry secures release of 12,000 inmates

    The Prison Decongestion program of the Ministry of Justice has resulted in the release of 12,000 inmates across correctional centres in the country since 2016.

    Secretary of the Prison Decongestion Committee of the ministry, Mrs Patricia Ayoola Daniels made this known in Abuja on Tuesday at the 2023 budget defence of the ministry.

    Newsmen reports that the budget defence was conducted by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for the ministry and its agencies.

    According to her, the ministry after the release of the inmates had also upgraded the skills acquisition centers starting with the pilot center at Keffi correctional center to equip the inmate that were released.

    She also disclosed that legal services was provided to inmates during the decongestion exercise.

    ” Usually during the jail delivery exercise, the committee ensures that awaiting trial persons are assigned to courts right there.”

    She also said the Federal Ministry of Justice has supported the release of 180 juveniles from foster institutions in the country.

    “We visited about three in the last one year and granted them amnesty and we went with experts from UNICEF to properly re-integrate the children back.

    Ealier, Justice Minister Abubakar Malami, SAN, said the ministry has enjoyed tremendous support from the legislature in the aspect of passing the much needed bills into law.

    He said the laws has help to provide the legal framework in the implementation and administration of justice.

    “With your support, the justice sector has been transformed into an avenue, not only for a law enforcement, but indeed for revenue generation and huge sums of money and assets has been recovered by the ministry and other agencies also,it has help to block revenue leakages.”

    Malami called for sustained support for the justice sector, particularly in respect to actions, plans and initiatives geared towards entrenching rule of law, institutionalizing access to justice, protection of freedom, as provided for in the constitution.

    He said the 2023 budget proposal of the ministry was largely based on priority, targeted to develop the capacity of the justice subsector to meet with the ever evolving complex national and international obligations to fight corruption and restore investors’ confidence.

    According to him, the 2023 budget was focused to re-calibrate the economy and inevitably facilitate peace and security in the nation.

    Malami therefore solicited the support of the Senate committee to achieve the mandate.

    He said noted that the ealier support of the committee which had resulted in recovery of funds and assets that had been channeled into infrastructure development like construction of second Niger bridge,lagos and -Kano express ways among others.

    “We have taken significant steps to support measures to ensure peace and security, fight terrorism, and enhance access to justice,”he said.

    He also solicited for improve funding of the ministry’s budget to further execute its mandate in the justice sector.

    “We need to reconceptualize the existing funding pattern of the justice sector to support critical reforms in the sector.

    “The ministry and all its agencies are in dire need of funding.

    “Consequently, I wish to solicit for your support for sufficient funding to support on- going reform, initiatives which have spiral effects on national development and entrenching democracy.”

    Earlier in his remarks , Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele ( APC- Ekiti), said the 2023 budget estimates for the Federal Ministry of Justice and its agencies as contained in the Appropriation Bill submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari , is N71.291billion .

    The total sum according to him, is inclusive of allocations to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) and statutory transfer to the National Human Rights Commission.

    He specifically commended the President for increasing the budgetary provisions of the Council of Legal Education from N2.7billion it was in the 2022 fiscal year to N10.12billion proposed for 2023 fiscal year .

    The increase , he explained , would make the council to put the various Law Schools in proper shape.

  • New agency should manage and dispose forfeited assets – HEDA

    New agency should manage and dispose forfeited assets – HEDA

    A non-governmental organisation known as Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resources Centre) has called for the creation of a new agency to manage and dispose forfeited assets.

     

    In a statement on Tuesday, HEDA said the new agency should have conflicting power of management, freezing, recovery, disposal, seizure, tracing and confiscation powers, similar to existing ACAs and LEAs, inimical to collaboration and efficient management of proceeds of crimes.

     

    Meanwhile, on financial implications for execution of mandate on nationwide and international assets, HEDA maintained that it was potentially impracticable and impossible, considering the inability of the Ministry of Justice to currently fund recovery of assets but rather employing services of external lawyers on no win, no fee basis.

     

    For the agency’s relevance in changing nature and scope of financial crimes and money laundering, the civil group affirmed that the agency would need to conduct its own investigations and prosecution of money laundering, terrorism financing etc and matters concerned.

     

    For response to perishable forfeited assets nationwide, the organization asserted that could be difficult, cumbersome and expensive with a center-dependent bureaucracy with other ACAs and LEAs.

     

    On proper handling of Exhibits at Interim Forfeiture stage, as well as how it might disrupt the fight against graft, HEDA submitted that Handling exhibits could jeopardize a successful prosecution and it would be very disruptive given the controversy surrounding the disposal of the ongoing assets by the AG’s office.

     

    On who are the Proponents and supporters, HEDA again said the Honourable Attorney of the federation (HAGF), finding its compliance with Orasanye’s report and government white paper on not creating new agencies, HEDA opined it contravenes the whole Ideas.

     

    For Accountability/Governance mechanisms, it maintained that there should be a Central DataBase in HAG’s Office and Quarterly Report to NASS Public Accounts Committees.

     

    More so on Accessibility to Forfeitures Records, the anti-corruption CSO suggested that Records domiciled in the Courts/NJC and National Data Base be made open for scrutiny.

     

    On the FATF Recommendation of POCA as captured in the lead debate of POCA Bill, HEDA said, “No agency was recommended while on The Effect of Expunged provisions of other LEAs and ACAs, it pushed for the expungement of relevant provisions in other ACAs and LEAs mandates needing amendment of all the Acts.”

  • #EndSARSMemorial protest kicks off at Ministry of Justice building, Abuja

    #EndSARSMemorial protest kicks off at Ministry of Justice building, Abuja

    A demonstration to mark the first anniversary of the #EndSARS movement has begun in front of the Ministry of Justice building, Maitama, Abuja.

    The protesters assembled at the front of the building with banners and placards on Wednesday, majorly dressed in black.

    There is also a heavy presence of security personnel at the venue to control the crowd and moving vehicles, as the protesters occupied a part of the road.

     

    Likewise, another group of protesters also gathered at Unity Fountain in Abuja to mark the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest which rocked the nations last year October.

    In Lagos, celebrities and activists joined a car procession at the #EndSARSMemorial protest at Lekki tollgate in Lagos.

    This is despite a ban on protests in Lagos and the heavy presence of armed police personnel at the tollgate.

     

  • BREAKING: Buhari sends sackload of NDDC forensic audit report to Ministry of Justice

    BREAKING: Buhari sends sackload of NDDC forensic audit report to Ministry of Justice

    President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that the sackload of the final report of the forensic audit carried out on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) be sent to the Ministry of Justice.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports President Buhari gave the order on Thursday after receiving sackload of the final forensic audit report from the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    The NDDC forensic audit report, the documents of which were conveyed in sacks, were received by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on behalf of the President.

    Read remarks by Malami at the presentation of the report below:

    I welcome you all to the presentation of the Report on the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Commission (NDDC), which report I am to receive on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.

    2. You will recall the President had ordered for a holistic forensic audit of the activities of the Commission from inception to August 2019 in response to the yearnings of the people the Niger Delta Region to reposition it for effective service delivery. It is imperative to state that, the call for the audit by the people of the Niger Delta Region arose from the huge gaps between resources invested in the region vis a vis the huge gap in infrastructural, human and economic development.

    3. It is on record that between 2001 and 2019, the Federal Government has approved N3, 375, 735,776,794.93 Three Trillion, Three Hundred and Seventy Five Billion, Seven Hundred and Seventy Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Four Naira, Ninety Three Kobo as budgetary allocation and N2,420,948,894,191.00 Two Trillion, Four Hundred and Twenty Billion, Nine Hundred and Forty Million, and, Eight Hundred and Ninety Four Thousand, One Hundred and Ninety One Naira as Income from Statutory and Non Statutory Sources, which brings the total figure to the sum of approximately Six Trillion Naira given to the Niger Delta Development Commission.

    4. Consequently, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the engagement of a Lead Forensic Auditor, as well as 16 reputable Audit Firms to conduct the audit exercise.

    5. The President is delighted that the auditors have now completed this exercise and the Report is today being presented.

    6. Furthermore, the President is not oblivious of the interest generated by Stakeholders towards the forensic audit exercise and the agitation for the constitution of the Board of the NDDC. However, this Administration is determined to address challenges militating against the delivery of the mandate of the NDDC to the people of the Niger Delta Region.

    7. It is in the broader context of the foregoing developments that the President recently signed into Law the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) which has been a contentious issue over the years for successive Governments, to bring about the prudence and accountability in the Petroleum Sector and to give a sense of participation and ownership to the Host communities.

    8. The Report on the forensic audit of the NNDC and your recommendations will therefore be critically analysed for necessary action and implementation. We owe it a duty to the people of the Niger Delta Region to improve their standard of living through the provision of adequate infrastructural and socio-economic development.

    9. The welfare and socio- economic inclusion of the Niger Delta Region is paramount to the development and security of the Region and by extension the Country. Funds spent on development activities should as a consequence promote political and socio-economic stability in the Region. Citizens affected by these development projects should also exhibit the ability to contribute to the continuous progress of their immediate and wider communities by engaging in constructive activities that will sustain and supports these development projects.

    10. It is evident that considerable resources have been channeled by the Federal Government to the development of the Niger Delta from 2001 to 2019. It is therefore important for the Federal Government and the public to be properly informed of what has been spent and how that has been spent. The essence of the forensic audit is to ensure probity and accountability in the use of public funds. It is against this background that the Federal Government will without hesitation strategically implement all aspects of the audit exercise that will promote probity and greater prosperity for the Niger Delta Region and Nigeria as whole.

    11. The Federal Government is particularly concerned with the colossal loss occasioned by uncompleted and unverified development projects in the Niger Delta Region, in spite of the huge resources made available to uplift the living standard of the citizens. We have on record over 13,777 projects, the execution of which is substantially compromised. The Federal Government is also concerned with the multitudes of Niger Delta Development Commission’s bank accounts amounting to 362 and lack of proper reconciliation of accounts.

    12. The Federal Government will in consequence apply the law to remedy the deficiencies outlined in the audit report as appropriate. This will include but not limited to initiation of criminal investigations, prosecution, recovery of funds not properly utilized for the public purposes for which they were meant for review of the laws to reposition and restructure the NDDC for the efficiency of better service delivery amongst others. In all these instances of actions, legal due processes will strictly be complied with.

    13. The President has directed that the forensic audit report be forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Justice for a legal review and relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government will be engaged in doing justice to the findings accordingly.

    14. I appreciate the Honourable Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. (Dr.) Godswill Akpabio, his colleague Sen. Omotayo Alasoadura, the Interim Administrator, Management and Staff of the NNDC for their support towards the completion of the audit exercise.

    15. My appreciation also goes to the Lead Forensic Auditors and the 16 Field Audit Firms for completing this exercise, as well as the Security Committee for securing the lives and properties of the Audit Firms throughout the duration of the forensic audit exercise.

    16. Thank you and God bless Nigeria.

  • JUST IN: Gbagi has case to answer, Ministry of Justice insists

    JUST IN: Gbagi has case to answer, Ministry of Justice insists

    The Ministry of Justice has said a governorship hopeful in Delta State, Kenneth Gbagi, who is the Chairman and owner of Signatious Hotels and Suites, and his son, Egba Gbagi have a case to answer with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Ministry of Justice directed the Police to arrest Gbagi and obtain statement from him under caution in response to allegations levelled against him in a case involving armed robbery, kidnapping, deprivation of liberty, torture and cyber stalking.

    According to a letter addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, The Nigeria Police, State Headquarters, Asaba by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice, Delta State, B. E. Tambou, Esq, Gbagi featured prominently in the case involving Gloria Oguzie, Roselyn Okiemute, Achibong Precious and Ephraim Victor, and therefore, should be arrested.

    “The Police should arrest Chief Kenneth Gbagi and obtain statement from him under caution in response to the allegations against him in the case file. The facts from the case file show that the name of Chief Kenneth Gbagi featured prominently in the matter. He was allegedly the mastermind behind the acts perpetrated on pages A6- Gloria Oguzie (f), A7- Roselyn Okiemute (f), A8 Achibong Precious (f) and A9- Ephraim Victor (m).

    “The statements of the witnesses identified him as participating personally in their ordeal. In addition, the statements of the two arrested suspects placed Chief Kenneth Gbagi as being present during the course of this matter and an active participant thereof. It is therefore imperative that Chief Kenneth Gbagi respond to the allegations against him,” the letter read in part.

    Also, the Ministry of Justice directed the Police should also arrest Egba Gbagi, son of Gbagi, who allegedly took pictures and made a video recording of pages of the witnesses, Mr Success, the account officer at Signatious Hotels and Suites, who allegedly on the instructions of Chief Kenneth Gbagi, transferred the sums of money belonging to the witnesses.

    “All the police details attached to Chief Kenneth Gbagi on the 17th and 18th September 2020 who are alleged to have aided, abetted and took part in the events of 17th and 18th September 2020 involving pages A6- Gloria Oguzie (f), A7- Roselyn Okiemute (f), A8- Precious (f) and Page A9- Ephraim Victor (m). Their statements should be forwarded to this office to enable us ascertain their culpability,” the letter reads.

    Read details of the case below:

    Our Ref No: DTMJ.3/6/109279/8

    The Deputy Commissioner of Police,
    The Nigeria Police,
    State Headquarters,
    Asaba.

    RE: LEGAL ADVICE

    STATION: SCIID

    OFFENCE: ARMED ROBBERY, KIDNAPPING, DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY, TORTURE, AND CYBER STALKING

    CASE FILE NO: CR.203/2020

    CHARGE NO: CMA/382c/2020

    IPO: ASP THERESA OKPOR & TEAM

    SUSPECTS: VICTORIA OGIDIAGBA (F), IKECHUKWU KINGSLEY NDUKWU (M)

    The above subject matter refers wish to inform you that this office is in receipt of the Certified True Copy of the Police case file in this matter from the Senior Registrar, Chief Magistrate Court, Asaba for Legal Advice. This office has undertaken a painstaking review of the case file inclusive of statements obtained from the witnesses namely Pages A6- Gloria Oguzie, A7- Roselyn Okiemute, A8- Achibong Precious and A9 Ephraim Victor. We also reviewed the cautionary statements of the arrested suspects Page B1-Victoria Ogidiagba (f) and Page B2-Ikechukwu Kingsley Ndukwu (m). The following facts are elicited from the case file:

    i. Chief Kenneth Gbagi, the Chairman and owner of Signatious Hotels and Suites situated at P.T.I Expressway Warri accused all the victims Pages A6 Gloria Oguzie (f) A7- Roselyn Okiemute (f), A8- Achibong Precious (f) and A9- Ephraim Victor (m) of stealing the money of Signatious Hotels and Suites where all the Defendants work.

    ii. In consequence of the above on the 17 September 2020, Chief Kenneth Gbagi forcefully with the aid of his armed police details attached to him took page A9- Ephraim Victor hostage to his village (Oginibo) where he was held overnight against his will and stripped naked to his under pants

    iii. On the 18 September 2020, Chief Kenneth Gbagi returned to his Signatious Hotel and Suites with page A9 Ephraim Victor whom he conveyed in the boot of his range rover jeep and further confined him in the said car boot from about 10am till about 1pm.

    iv. On the same 18th September 2020, Chief Kenneth Gbagi acting in concert with his armed Police details forcefully apprehended pages A6- Gloria Oguzie (f), A7- Roselyn Okiemute (f), and A8- Achibong Precious (f) and compelled them to carry out all of Chief Kenneth Gbagi directives at gun point.

    v. Chief Kenneth Gbagi ordered page A6- Gloria Oguzie (f), A7- Roselyn Okiemute (f), and A8- Achibong Precious (f) to strip naked except for their pants at gunpoint.

    vi. Chief Kenneth Gbagi with the aid of page B1 Victoria Ogidiagba (f) collected the ATM cards of all the victims A6- Gloria Oguzie, A7- Roselyn Okiemute, A8- Achibong Precious and A9- Ephraim Victor and made them to disclose their respectively ATM pin numbers at gunpoint.

    vii. Chief Kenneth Gbagi then directed his account officer (one Mr. Success) and page B1 Victoria Ogidiagba (f) to withdraw all the monies in the victims various accounts. The amounts withdrawn were N176,500, N111,000 and N5,000 respectively.

    viii. Chief Kenneth Gbagi further compelled the victims to write their statements in his office at gunpoint.

    ix. Chief Kenneth Gbagi then proceeded to parade the victims publicly on the grounds of the hotel naked except for their pants before members of staff of the hotel and the hotel customers.

    x. He ordered page B1 Victoria Ogidiagba (f) to lock the victims up in the hotel warehouse and to keep watch over them which instruction she carried out. The victims were kept locked in the warehouse for a while before they were subsequently moved to Chief Kenneth Gbagi office where they were also held against their will. They were then subjected to physical and verbal abuse by Chief Kenneth Gbagi and his armed police details

    xi. In the course of the interrogation Chief Kenneth Gbagi personally flogged page A8 Achibong Precious (f), a married woman, with a whip.

    xii. Chief Kenneth Gbagi ordered his police details to beat up page A9 Ephraim Victor which they did.

    xiii. Chief Kenneth Gbagi personally took pictures of the victims with his mobile phone in their nude state. He thereafter directed page B1-Victoria Ogidiagba (f) and his son Egba Gbagi to also take pictures and make video recordings of the victims in their nude state. The pictures and video recordings were eventually posted on several social media platforms.

    xiv. Chief Kenneth Gbagi instructed Page B2-Ikechukwu Kingsley Ndukwu (m) to print the nude pictures of the victims from the phone of his son Egba Gbagi. Page B2 thereafter transferred the pictures from the phone to the hotel’s desktop computer and printed the nude photographs of the victims.

    3. From the facts in the case file summarized above, the elements of the following offences are established:

    i. Conspiracy to commit to a felony to wit armed robbery, punishable under S. 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms Act 2004 (as amended).
    ii. The substantive offence of armed robbery punishable under S.1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms Act 2004 (as amended).

    iii. Conspiracy to commit a felony, to wit: Kidnapping, contrary to Section 3(1)(d) and punishable under Section 4(1) of the Delta State Anti-kidnapping Law 2016.

    iv. Kidnapping, punishable under Section 4(1) of the Delta State Anti-kidnapping Law 2016.

    v. Conspiracy to commit to a felony to wit: Cyber Stalking, punishable under S. 24(a) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention etc) Act, 2015.

    vi. Aiding and abetting the commission of the offence Cyber Stalking, punishable under S. 24(a) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention etc) Act, 2015.

    4. The two arrested suspects, pages B1-Victoria Ogidiagba (f) and B2 Ikechukwu Kingsley Ndukwu (m) were identified by the witnesses in their various statements in the case file. In addition in their various cautionary statements, each of the two suspects admitted to the roles played by them in this matter. These pieces of evidence taken together meet the threshold of establishing a prime facie case, which is required at this stage of the matter against pages Bl-Victoria Ogidingba (f) and B2 Ikechukwu Kingsley Ndukwu (m). In the circumstances, page BI-Victoria Agidigba (f) has a prime facie case of the following offences to answer to

    i. Conspiracy to commit to a felony to wit: armed robbery, punishable under S. 1(2)a) of the Robbery and Firearms Act 2004 (as amended).

    ii. The substantive offence of armed robbery, punishable under S. 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms Act 2004 (15 amended).

    iii. Conspiracy to commit a felony, to wit: Kidnapping, contrary to Section 3(1)(d) and punishable under Section 4(1) of the Delta State Anti-kidnapping Law 2016.

    iv. Kidnapping, punishable under Section 4(1) of the Delta State Anti-kidnapping Law 2016.

    v. Conspiracy to commit to a felony to wit: Cyber Stalking, punishable under S. 24(a) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention etc) Act, 2015.

    vi. Aiding and abetting the commission of the offence Cyber Stalking punishable under S. 24(a) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention etc) Act, 2015.

    Page B2-Ikechukwu Kingsley Ndukwu (m) on his part has a prime facie case of the following offences to answer to:

    i. Conspiracy to commit to a felony to wit: Cyber Stalking, punishable under S. 24(a) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention etc) Act, 2015.

    ii. Aiding and abetting the commission of the offence Cyber Stalking, punishable under S. 24(a) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention ete) Act, 2015.

    The information disclosing the offences will be filed immediately at the High Court of Justice Delta to commence their prosecution. I am to request that you forward the original case file and exhibits in the matter to enable us effectively prosecute the matter.

    5. The facts from the case file show that the name of Chief Kenneth Gbagi featured prominently in the matter. He was allegedly the mastermind behind the acts perpetrated on pages A6- Gloria Oguzie (f), A7- Roselyn Okiemute (f), A8 Achibong Precious (f) and A9- Ephraim Victor (m). The statements of the witnesses identified him as participating personally in their ordeal. In addition, the statements of the two arrested suspects placed Chief Kenneth Gbagi as being present during the course of this matter and an active participant thereof. It is therefore imperative that Chief Kenneth Gbagi respond to the allegations against him. We note from the case file that he was invited by the State Police Command but failed to honour the invitation. The Police should arrest Chief Kenneth Gbagi and obtain statement from him under caution in response to the allegations against him in the case file. The statement of Chief Kenneth Gbagi should thereafter be sent to this office for further action.

    6. The Police should also arrest the following under listed persons and obtain statements from them under caution:

    i. Egba Gbagi (m), son of Chief Kenneth Gbagi, who allegedly took pictures and made a video recording of pages A6- Gloria Oguzie (f), A7- Roselyn Okiemute (f), A8- Achibong Precious (f) and A9. Ephraim Victor (m).

    i. Mr. Success, the account officer at Signatious Hotels and Suites, who allegedly on the instructions of Chief Kenneth Gbagi, transferred the sums of money belonging to pages A6- Gloria Oguzie (f) A7- Roselyn Okiemute (f) A8- Achibong Precious (f) and A9- Ephraim Victor (m) from the victims accounts to the hotel’s account.

    iii. All the police details attached to Chief Kenneth Gbagi on the 17th and 18th September 2020 who are alleged to have aided, abetted and took part in the events of 17th and 18th September 2020 involving pages A6- Gloria Oguzie (f), A7- Roselyn Okiemute (f), A8- Precious (f) and Page A9- Ephraim Victor (m).

    Their statements should be forwarded to this office to enable us ascertain their culpability.