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Tag: nigerian

  • How I was gagged, beaten, tied up for 15hrs on Emirate Airlines flight, 71-year-old Nigerian recounts ordeal

    A 71-year-old Nigerian, David Ukesone has recounted a raw deal that he had from the crew of Emirates airline, flying from Dubai in the United Arabs Emirate to Chicago, United States of America.


    He was punched on the face, his mouth taped and bound like a prisoner for eight hours on his trip to reunite with his family.


    The flight from Dubai to Chicago, according to information on the airline’s website, lasts for 15 hours and 10 minutes.


    His offence was that he got into a dispute with the flight attendants over his seat number.


    “He apparently sits in the wrong seat and was told to change seats by a flight attendant,” attorney Howard Schaffner told ABC News. “He didn’t think he was in the wrong seat and there was an argument and, at some point, he was hit.”

     

    Emirates cancels flight after snake was found in plane


    Emirates Airlines, in a statement released Monday, confirmed the incident.


    It said: “Emirates can confirm that a passenger on flight EK235 from Dubai to Chicago on 23 January had to be restrained by cabin crew due to unruly behavior during the flight.


    “The passenger was handed over to the authorities on arrival in Chicago.


    “The safety of our passengers and crew is of the utmost importance and will not be compromised.


    “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the other passengers on the flight for their understanding, in particular the individuals who had assisted our crew during the flight.”


    But his lawyer said he had no issue traveling from Nigeria to Dubai until he began the second leg of his trip.
    Ukesone boarded the flight after his layover in Dubai with the boarding pass assigning him to seat 35D.


    He was joining his wife who immigrated four months earlier.


    His adult son and daughter had also immigrated to the US.


    The incident unfolded after Ukesone went to the bathroom and got in the wrong seat after he returned.


    His attorney said he sat “very close” to 35D.


    Ukseone understands English, but not perfectly.


    When the argument ensued between himself and the flight crew, Schaffner said, he was very confused.


    He said: “He was asked to move and he wants to take his bag in the overhead compartment with him.


    “They told him he was in the wrong seat and they laid hands on him to move him and that’s when everything escalated.”


    The argument continued to escalate and the flight crew allegedly struck him “at least once” and left a “large welt on his face”, according to his lawyer.

  • Murderers of Nigerian in South Africa apprehended, arraigned – Consul General

    The Nigerian Mission in South Africans says indigenes responsible for the violent attack on Nigerians in Durban and other areas have been apprehended and arraigned in South African Court on Monday, Jan. 22.

    The Nigeria Consul General in Johannesburg, South Africa, Mr Godwin Adama, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

    The Consular officers from the Nigerian Consulate-General in Johannesburg and the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria were in Durban to witness the court proceeding.

    Two policemen were arraigned in court and the case was adjourned till Monday, Jan. 29 while the accused were refused bail and remanded in prison custody.

    According to the Consul General, the late Okori was killed in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa on Friday.

    “ We condemn in strong terms the barbaric acts and call on the South African authorities to intervene and put an end to this ugly trend.

    “We also call on Nigerians to continue to be law abiding, as we work towards obtaining justice for the family of the deceased,’’ he added

    He stated that investigation was also going on to unravel the cause of the death of another Nigerian killed in Rustenburg, Northwest Province, South Africa, on January 20, 2018, in circumstances yet to be ascertained.

    “While we await the outcome of the judicial proceedings, we want to, once again, appeal for calm and rectitude among our nationals in the affected areas,” he said.

     

     

     

  • [Photo] Police kill 27-year-old Nigerian in South Africa

    A 27- year –old Nigerian, Ebuka Okori, was killed by the police in Durban in the early hours of Friday, the Nigerian community in South Africa said.

    [Photo] Police kill 27-year-old Nigerian in South Africa

    Mr Bartholomew Eziagulu, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union chapter in Kwazulu Natal Province of South Africa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Durban that the victim was a native of Umunze in Orumba North Local Government of Anambra.

    He said that an eyewitness informed the union that two police officers in mufti forcefully gained access to the victim`s house at Campbell Street in Durban at 2.am on Friday.

    According to him, the officers immediately demanded money from Okori.

    “ When he refused, he was handcuffed, taken outside and shot dead. The officers took away his cell phone, e-passport and other valuable documents.

    “ The relative of the victim was tortured and robbed of his belongings while a third victim, a South African, was also robbed,” he said.

    Eziagulu said that the Okori`s brother escaped from the house and called for help.

    “ The Metro Police around the vicinity swiftly intervened and picked the vehicle number of the assailants,” he said.

    Eziagulu said that police detectives and another special police team which investigates complaints against their colleagues are assisting to arrest the culprits.

    “So far I must appreciate the effort of the SAPS detectives, Metro Police and the IPID team, there were fantastic at services , so much cooperation ,never seen before.

    “The station of the culprits has been directed for immediate arrest, while one of them already requested for sick leave ,the other still at large”, he said.

    Mr Adetola Olubajo, the President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, said that the national secretariat had been informed about the incident.

    He said that the union was monitoring the situation and had informed the Nigerian Mission and the South African police.

    Eziagulu in a statement also drew attention to the case of another Nigerian
    Ebuka Eziomwu , charged with robbery.

     

  • Money laundering: UK Court sentences Ontario Oil boss, Wagbatsoma to three years imprisonment

    A court in the United Kingdom has sentenced Chairman of Ontario Oil & Gas Limited, Mr Walter Wagbatsona, to three and half years in prison.

    Wagbatsoma, 47 was also disqualified from being a company director for six years.

    It was learnt that some fraudulently obtained funds in the UK were laundered through an account in Dubai, UAE under the control of a co-conspirator Oluwatoyin Allison, a UK national who was convicted in his absence at an earlier trial in April 2017 and sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

    The funds were then transferred to Wagbatsoma’s account in the UK.

    According to Lincolnshire Police, following a trial at Leicester Crown Court a thirteenth defendant has been convicted of conspiracy to launder money in an international fraud and money laundering investigation.

    This investigation was conducted by Lincolnshire Police Economic Crime Unit under ‘Operation Tarlac’, in which public bodies including hospital trusts, housing associations and councils around the UK were defrauded of over £12million.

    Wagbatsoma was originally detained on a European Arrest Warrant in June 2016 whilst travelling through Germany.

    He was extradited soon afterwards and charged with conspiring with others to launder the proceeds of fraud through his business interests in the UK.

    This is the third criminal trial for this operation and follows the successful conviction of 12 other defendants in the investigation which began with a complaint of fraud from Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust in September 2011, in which £1.28m was fraudulently obtained by the gang.

    Subsequently, a further 20 linked offences was identified resulting in losses of £12.6m.

    After a four-year investigation, those convicted have received prison sentences in excess of 50-years and proceedings are underway to recover the gains of the conspiracy under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

    This is to make sure that victims can in some way be recompensed for what the Judge described as a “sophisticated and widespread fraud in its conception and execution.”

    Deputy Chief Constable Craig Naylor said: “For a small force, this investigation shows that officers in our Economic Crime department have shown real endeavour and determination in investigating what is a huge money laundering and fraud offence.

    “Operation Tarlac has now seen thirteen individuals given lengthy prison sentences for their part in an international offence, which has had a national impact on public bodies in the UK. As a force, we have achieved a significant impact against organised crime in this investigation and this shows the hard work by our officers.

    “Proceedings are now underway to recover a large amount of money, and I want to personally thank partners for their support and co-operation with us in this investigation and congratulate my officers and staff on a job well done.”

    On January 26, 2017, a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja had sentenced the exiled oil mogul and his staff Adaoha Ugo-Nnadi to 10 years in prison for fuel subsidy fraud.

    Justice Lateefat Okunnu, who said the sentence would start to count from January 13, 2016, also ordered restitution for Ontario Oil and Gas, and asked the company to refund N754 million being the amount it defrauded the Nigerian government.

    While Wagbatsoma was sentenced in absentia as he was under house arrest in the United Kingdom at the time, Ms. Ugo-Nnadi was present.

     

  • New Year tragedy! 200 Nigerian migrants, others drown in Mediterranean Sea – IOM

    New Year tragedy! 200 Nigerian migrants, others drown in Mediterranean Sea – IOM

    It was a tragic start to New Year for migrants from Nigeria and other countries as hundreds of them crossing to Italy and Spain were feared dead in the Mediterranean Sea, the International Organisation for Migration has said.


    IOM’s Public Information Officer in Libya, Christine Petré, reported that the boats carrying the migrants departed from the coastal towns of Azzawiyah and Al Khums in Libya.


    “Most of the survivors hail from African countries, including Senegal, Mali and Nigeria. The Libyan Coast Guard reported that eight were from Bangladesh while two were from Pakistan,” Petré said.


    According to IOM and a report released by Libya’s Coast Guard, about 100 people on board remain missing.
    The UN migration agency said its officials were present at the disembarkation point in Tripoli and provided the survivors with food and water.


    Othman Belbeisi, Chief of IOM Libya Mission, said on Wednesday that about 200 migrants or refugees had died or gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea with up to 100 unaccounted for since Saturday.


    Belbeisi said: “It’s very distressing that during the first 10 days of 2018 we have seen close to 800 migrants rescued or intercepted off the Libyan coast, with more lives lost at sea.


    “More has to be done to reduce irregular unsafe movements of people along the Central Mediterranean route.”
    According to Belbeisi, the tragedy came at a time when Mediterranean migrants’ death dropped sharply as IOM recorded only 26 on the Mediterranean Sea lanes in December 2017.


    Belbeisi said while January 2017 had witnessed some 254 deaths, this week’s reports suggest that the start of 2018 may be even deadlier.


    IOM reported on Tuesday that 81 Mediterranean Sea deaths of migrants or refugees were recorded in the first eight days of the year with five in Western Mediterranean waters off Spain and Morocco and the rest between Italy and Libya.


    In the latest, and third deadliest, shipwreck in the Mediterranean since Saturday, the Libyan Coast Guard rescued three rubber boats with 279 migrants made up of 19 women, 243 men, 13 boys and four girls, in an operation lasting at least 12 hours.


    The UN migration agency said it continued to provide support and direct humanitarian assistance to the survivors of this latest tragedy, many of whom now are at Libya’s Tajoura detention centre.

  • Nigerian visa can now be obtained in 48 hours in U.S

    The Nigerian Consulate in New York has said that applicants for the Nigerian visa can now get it in 48 hours with the introduction of the issuance of the biometric visa.

    The acting Consul-General, Tanko Suleiman, who disclosed this at the commencement of the biometric visa processing in New York, said the new process had simplified the issuance of Nigerian visa.

    Suleiman said with the commencement of the biometric visa issuance, no applicant should spend more than 25 minutes to complete his or her enrollment.

    The Nigerian envoy said the Federal Government has appointed Online Integrated Solutions Limited (OIS) as the company to handle the biometric visa project.

    Suleiman appealed to applicants in the U.S. to be courteous and orderly as the new system would finally address any frustrations in obtaining the Nigerian visa.

    “If you are given an appointment for 1 p.m., your appointment will last for only one hour maximum for that day; you can cancel the appointment if you know you can’t make it.

    “However, if you come here an hour after, your appointment is completely cancelled. Therefore, you have to reapply because you are not the only applicant, there are other people.

    “So once you cannot come within that one hour, you will now have to apply for another time,” Suleiman explained.

    The Managing Director of OIS, Mr Abdul Momodu, said with the biometric system, there would be fairness in the visa application process as every applicant would now be approved on a case management system.

    “That case management system can be reviewed in 10 years and it would be tied to the individual application as many times as he applies in the future.

    “This further puts integrity into the system of applying for the Nigerian visa; there were two things that we put into play when we were developing this solution.”

    According to him, one of the advantages of the new system is to simplify the visa application process and make it less cumbersome

    “First of all we want to keep people informed from their point of application to the point of collection.

    “This is so that at every point in time, they are informed through emails and text messages of the status of their application.

    “So once the application leaves our office to the Consulate, the applicant would receive a text message and email.

    “Then once decision is made on the application, he or she will receive a notification and once it is back in our office and ready for collection, there will also be a notification.

    “Be that as it may, we still have a tracking system on our website, in case for any reason, you have no access to your email.

    “In this case, you can go on our website, put your passport number and your reference number and it will also be able to tell you the status of your application,” he said.

  • Buhari talks tough; says ‘not all illegal immigrants in Libya are Nigerians’

    President Muhammadu Buhari says it is important to always authenticate the origin of people abroad in distress before evacuating them to Nigeria, saying “not every black man is a Nigerian.”

    Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said in a statement on Friday that Buhari made his position known at a meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Buhari, who spoke on recent repatriation of some Nigerians from Libya, said not every black man was a Nigerian, and was, therefore, important to authenticate the origin of the people in distress before they were evacuated.

    He said “we are trying to bring as many as possible from Libya. But not every black man is a Nigerian.

    “Others claim to be Nigerian, when they are not, and because they have destroyed their travel papers, we can’t claim them, except there is proper documentation.”

    The President, however, noted that good neighbourliness and relationship were important for security and economic development.

    “That was why I visited all our neighbours. Such relationship is crucial for security, and economic development so our youths could get jobs,’’ he said.

    On recharging of the Lake Chad, he said “the earlier we get it done, the better, so that our youths don’t continue to dare the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea.’’

    The AU Commission boss congratulated the President for what he was doing for Nigeria, and for Africa.

    He said “without President Buhari, and without Nigeria, many things would not have been possible.

    “I appreciate the role you played in my election, and all that you do in ECOWAS, Lake Chad Basin Commission, and the entire continent.

    “We follow your battle against corruption, and it is not by chance that you have been chosen by other African leaders to champion the battle in 2018.

    “Your commitment is notable, and I seek your support for reforms that we intend to introduce in AU. Your guidance is vital.’’

    He stressed the need for Africa to always speak with one voice, stressing that “the voice of Nigeria is preponderant.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the Federal Government had already evacuated hundreds of thousands of voluntary returnees from Libya in the last three years.

     

    NAN

  • Ghana goalkeeper Fatau Dauda quits Nigerian giants Enyimba

    Ghanaian goalkeeper Fatau Dauda has opted not to extend his expired contract with Nigerian giants Enyimba, The Black Stars shot-stopper leaves the People’s Elephants after impressing in just one season at the Aba-based club.

    Dauda has now returned home eyeing his next career move with a club in the Ghana Premier League most likely to sign him.

    He will move as a free agent with several clubs in the Ghanaian top-flight seeking players to boost their squads ahead of the start of the new season.

    Enyimba have entered the market and swooped for Nigeria goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa as a direct replacement for Dauda.

    Ezenwa was a free agent after his contract with FC Ifeanyiubah ended this past season.

    He is expected to join Enyimba in Kano for the Ahlan Pre-Season Tournament, which kicks off tomorrow.

    There is a get-out clause in his contract with Enyimba which will allow him to leave should he agree a move overseas before the end of his year-long deal.

    He is a direct replacement for Ghana goalkeeper Fatau Dauda, who will not be returning to the Aba club for the new season.

    Ezenwa, who has also been capped by Nigeria at U20 and U23 levels, has previously featured for Sharks, Sunshine Stars and Ocean Boys.

    Ghanasoccernet.com

  • APDA urges Nigerian businessmen abroad to invest at home

    The Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) has called on Nigerian businessmen resident abroad to invest in the country.

    The party made the call in its Eid-el Maulud message issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Tosin Adeyanju, on Friday in Abuja.

    It stated that such investment would help in the development of the country’s industrial sector.

    “Nigerians who have millions of dollars abroad should repatriate such funds and use it to establish industries for Nigerians, to create employment opportunities for our youths.”

    The party condemned the current slave market in Libya, where some Nigerian youths were victims.

    It advised Muslim faithful to imbibe the virtue of Prophet Mohammed.

    “In this direction, APDA is calling on all Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of this day.

    “We must show brotherly love and patriotism to country, strengthen our bond of unity, support government efforts towards tackling the challenges confronting the country and be law-abiding citizens.

    “As a people on the march to greatness, we at APDA believe in working with all Nigerians and together, create a Nigeria that works for all.”

    Similarly, a National Publicity Secretary aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, urged Nigerians to use Eid-el-Maulud to renew their commitment to unity and patriotism.

    In a statement, he called for peaceful co-existence as illustrated in the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet Mohammed, saying the occasion offered Nigerians strong lesson to rally together in faith and forge a patriotic formidable front.

    “All we need at this point is to jettison our divisive sentiments, work together to overcome our imposed economic and social travails, and rebuild a democratic nation.

    “We should build a country where no man is subjugated or relegated and where the resources freely given to us by God are effectively harnessed and channeled for the good of all,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan also charged all members of PDP to continue to propagate the party’s ideology of national unity, peaceful co-existence, equity and justice for all.

    He added that the nation was in dire need of such values.

  • Dating scam: Nigerian defrauds female Briton of £150,000

    Dating scam: Nigerian defrauds female Briton of £150,000

    Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos yesterday heard how an unemployed young man, Sowunmi Gabriel Oladipo, allegedly defrauded a female Briton, Stephanie Metacalfe, of £150, 000. Oladipo, who portrayed himself as both Brian Kinsella and Gabriel Solomon, met Metacalfe sometime in June 2014 on an online dating site as Brian (resident in Brompton, United Kingdom) where they chatted and later became lovers.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Oladipo on a four-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence. The accused, however, denied the allegations.

    The commission alleged that Oladipo and an alleged accomplice, Adebayo (still at large), between June and September 2014 with intent to defraud, obtained USD $228,661, £25,403 and £8,969 from Metacalfe through Western Union Money Transfer Scheme and Moneygram on the false pretence that he was a supervisor in Shell Oil Company in Nigeria.

    The EFCC also alleged that Oladipo obtained money from the victim on the pretence that he was working in the oil company in Nigeria and needed a loan to pay his workers.

    However, according to a female operative attached to the Advanced Fee fraud Section of the EFCC, Funmilayo Adedulu, who narrated the incident to the court, said that the victim (Metacalfe lost £150,000 during the course of their relationship as lovers.

    Adedulu, while being led in evidence by the prosecuting officer, Ayokunle Fayanju, said that a petition with several attachments dated December 1, 2016 was received by the commission and assigned to her team. Adedulu said that the petition was written and signed by Daniel of the National Crimes Agency, Victoria Island, Lagos, attached to the British Deputy High Commission on behalf of the United Kingdom citizen, Stephanie Metacalfe. She said: “In the petition, the citizen claimed she was into an online romance relationship with Brian.

    The petition stated that the attachments were the statements the UK citizen made to the UK police, including other documents showing the incidents which occurred during the relationship.

    “The attachment included the DHL documents which she used in sending items like wristwatch and sunglasses to Brian in Nigeria. “Documents of the Debit transfer from her account to the Diamond Bank account of Oladipo in Nigeria, the email exchanges, Western Union and Moneygram documents which she used in sending the monies to Nigeria were also attached.

    “In the statement of account of Oladipo Gabriel, it was discovered that the victim made transfers to the account between June, July and September, 2014 in five instalments in the tune of $225,000. “Further study revealed that most of the depositors of the account had foreign names.”

    Adedulu also told the court that the defendant was arrested at Fidelity Bank during the course of investigation and handed over to the operatives of the commission. She added: “The defendant was arrested by the officials of Fidelity Bank and he further volunteered a statement in respect to the petition.”

    Meanwhile, the tendering of the documents by Fayanju was rejected by the court on the grounds that the documents were not certified. Justice Oshodi said that the court observed that most of the documents which the prosecution sought to tender were public documents that were not certified true copies. The judge consequently adjourned the matter till March 1, 2018 for continuation of trial.