TheNewsGuru

Tag: Prison

  • Woman arrested for smuggling phone, kept inside soup for her imprisoned lover

    Operatives of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, yesterday foiled an attempt by a 33-year-old mother of two, Fatima Balogun, to smuggle a phone to her armed robbery suspect boyfriend, Ganiyu Ajibode, who is in prison custody.

    According to reports, Fatima hid the phone inside a cooler of soup he brought fro her boyfriend.

    She was apprehended by men of the Special Intelligence Unit of the NPS at the gate lodge of Abeokuta Maximum Prisons in Ibara.

    Fatima who claims to be a divorcee, said she lives in Fagba, Iju-Saga in Lagos.

    According to her, she met Ganiyu two years ago after her divorce from her children’s father.

    Fatima said this would be the first time she would be visiting Ganiyu who had been in prison for six months.

    She added that she tried to smuggle in the phone so she could have access to communicate with her lover.

    The Controller of Prisons, Ogun State Command, CP Benson Abolade, said the suspect was arrested for trafficking in Prison, which he said was against the operation of the prison and that the command has contacted the police for prosecution, saying,

  • ‘No special treatment for Evans’ says Lagos prison controller

    The Lagos State Prisons says suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudi Onuamadike, known as Evans, does not receive special treatment.

    “Evans” is being held at the Kirikiri Prisons with rumours saying he gets special treatment from Prisons officers.

    However, the Controller of Prisons in Lagos, Tunde Ladipo, has debunked the stories, describing Evans as an “ordinary inmate” who does not get special treatment.

    “We have rules and regulations that guide them. Evans is like every other inmate in prison”, Ladipo said in an interview with Vanguard.

    “We have laws rules and regulations that guide them. Evans is like every other inmate in the prison. There is nothing special about him. It is just that there is so much hype about him being a suspected kidnapper.

    Speaking further, Ladipo said: “As far as I am concerned, he is an ordinary inmate. So far, so good. There is no way he can even go above the law because he can’t have that chance. We have ensured that our prisons are secure. So there is no cause for alarm.

    “In the cases of inmates making use of telephone and other facilities, I assure you that if any case like that comes up and we investigate and find it to be true, we will not hesitate to take positive action. For now, I assure you that we don’t have such thing in our prisons.”

    Evans was arrested in June by operatives of the Nigerian Police Force.

  • South Africa releases five Nigerians from prison – Union

    South Africa releases five Nigerians from prison – Union

    The Nigeria Union, South Africa, (NUSA) says five Nigerians detained by the police for protesting the killing of a businessman, have been released.

    Clement Kalu, 35, a native of Obosi, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra, was allegedly killed by the police while being interrogated for being in possession of drugs, at Springs town, near Johannesburg on Sept.5.

    The Nigerians protested in front of the police station in the town, prompting the police to shoot rubber bullets to disperse them.

    Some of the protesters were allegedly wounded and treated in the hospital.

    Mr Adetola Olubajo, President of the Union, told newsmen in Pretoria, South Africa, on Friday that the Nigerians were arrested on Sept. 6.

    “They were arrested for protesting the killing of a member of the Nigerian community in the town.

    “Following our intervention, they were released on Sept. 7. We urge Nigerians in the town to remain law abiding while we await the outcome of the post mortem on the deceased,” he said.

    Olubajo said that the union had informed the Nigerian mission in South Africa on the latest development and would continue to monitor the situation.

    He said that the union was on top of the situation and expressed shock on the alleged killing of the businessman.

     

     

    NAN

  • Police re-arrest suspected ritual killer, Ifeanyi Dike, who escaped from prison

    Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF have re-arrested a suspected ritual killer, Ifeanyi Dike, who murdered an eight-year-old girl, Victory Chikamso Nmezuwuba and escaped from prison some few weeks back.

    Dike, who was rearrested in Jo’s, Plateau State capital on Thursday, was said to have been immediately brought to Port Harcourt.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Dike, a 2oo-level Physics student at the University of Port Harcourt was recently identified by the institution as a bonafide student.

    The university confirmed the identity, via a statement issued last week in Port Harcourt, by Dr. Williams Wodi, UNIPORT’s spokesman.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the suspect was accused of abducting, raping, killing and dismembering the body of his eight-year-old niece, Chikamso Nmezuwuba, on Aug. 19 for ritual purposes.

    The suspect was arrested by members of a vigilance group in the Eliozu area in Port Harcourt, while he was on the way to dispose the body of Chikamso, after using other parts of her body for a ritual.

    The suspect was handed over to the Rivers Police Command but escaped while in detention.

    Wodi said the management of the university was worried about the development particularly the disappearance of the suspect from detention.

    “Any university administration and indeed all Nigerians should be very concerned about having students in any of our universities who turn out to be suspected ritual murderers.

    “The university is working tirelessly with law enforcement agencies to fish out and bring to speedy justice such dubiously motivated characters who masquerade as a student.

    “UNIPORT is working in concert with security agencies with the focus to re-arresting and bringing the suspect to book to serve as a deterrent to any other student with similar intent.

    “We condole with the traumatized family of Chikamso and pray for the eternal repose of her soul while hoping for speedy justice to punish the offender,” he said.

     

     

    Details later…

  • Nigerian, foreign crude oil thieves remanded in PH’s prison

    Nigerian, foreign crude oil thieves remanded in PH’s prison

    One Nigerian, two Pakistanis, three Ghanaians, one Indonesian, one Beninois and two Ukrainians arrested for crude oil theft from the Afremo A Platform have been remanded in prison in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the Nigerian among them, who is the Chief Officer while the Captain is a Pakistani, were remanded in prison by Justice J. K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court Sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The Nigerian and the nine foreigners were remanded in Port Harcourt’s prison.

    The suspects are Mohammed Ejaz, Naseer Khan (Pakistani), Oleksandr Nazarenko, Oleksandr kashernvi (Ukrainians), Romeo Annang, Francis Ahorlu, Kwesi Attah (Ghanaians), Victor Mikpayi (Beninois), Fredrik Fatin Omenu (Indonesian), Victor Azebiri, David Otuhohi (Nigerians) and a company: Asztral Shipping Corporation SA, and a Vessel, MT. TECNE (a.k.a MT STAR). They were remanded pending arraignment and hearing of a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, dealing in petroleum products without a license and tampering with oil pipelines.

    At the commencement of proceedings for their arraignment on Wednesday, the counsel to the EFCC, Kayode Oni, brought before the court an ex-parte application seeking the leave of the court to hear the defendants’ charge filed during the annual vacation of the court which was granted by the judge.

    The counsel to the 2nd -11th defendants, Abiye Atorudibo, however, notified the court that the 5th, 6th and 11th defendants who are Ukrainians and Indonesians are not proficient in English language and requested that the prosecution provide interpreters for the accused persons.

    In response, Mr. Oni asked for a short adjournment to get interpreters for some of the foreigners and remand the defendants in prison as the EFCC’s cell was congested.

    Justice Omotoso consequently adjourned the matter to September 6, 2017 for arraignment and hearing. He ordered that the prosecution provide interpreters for the accused persons and remanded the defendants in Port Harcourt prison.

    Trouble came for the suspects when their ship was intercepted by the NNS DELTA on 25 April, 2017 at Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Afremo ‘A’ Terminal, South-east of Escravos in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, for illegal loading of petroleum products suspected to be crude oil.

    It was alleged that the crew members connived with Victor Azeberi (the 1st defendant); one Peter Ala and David Ogoma alias Ambassador, who are now at large, to siphon about 1905.836 cubic litres of crude oil.

    The ship allegedly had no clearance from relevant Nigerian maritime agencies to navigate in Nigerian waters and all the foreign crew on board the ship had no valid documents to enter Nigeria.

  • Court rejects deposed Baale’s bail application, orders him to remain in prison with wife

    An Ikeja High Court on Tuesday dismissed an application filed by the deposed Baale of Shangisha, Mutiu Ogundare, seeking to vary his bail conditions.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Ogundare had filed the application alongside his wife, Abolanle and Mohammed Babatunde.

    During the proceedings on Tuesday, Ogundare’s counsel, Chief H. N. Ogirien, requested that the court should reduce some of the bail conditions, especially the requirement of a surety, who is a Grade Level 17 officer in the Lagos State Civil Service.

    “My Lord, we are unable to secure a Grade Level 17 officer in the Lagos State Civil Service, no one is willing to come forward and stand as surety.

    “We also have difficulty getting a traditional ruler to stand as surety, we are simply asking the court to review the bail conditions to enable the defendant to easily perfect the bail conditions,” Ogirien said.

    Shedding more light on Ogundare’s predicament, Ogirien said “This situation is peculiar because a man and his wife are both incarcerated.

    “They have young children who are dependent on them the children are of nursery, primary and secondary school ages, who are solely dependent on them and they have no one taking care of them.”

    Responding to Ogirien’s request, the vacation judge, Justice Oshodi asked why the application was not presented before the magistrate court which is a lower court where the bail of the Baale was initially granted.

    “He is a traditional ruler, so I am wondering why none of his fellow traditional rulers can stand as a surety for him.

    “Are you saying that there are no traditional rulers within the jurisdiction that cannot stand for him?” the judge qerried.

    The judge thereafter dismissed the application of the embattled former traditional ruler.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode had on July 16 deposed Ogundare for faking his own kidnap in a bid to allegedly blackmail the Lagos State Government.

    Ogundare’s “abduction” reportedly took place on July 5 along the Centre for Management Development (CMD) Road in Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area of the state.

    His wife, Abolanle and Babatunde were alleged to be accomplices in the kidnap plot.

    On July 20, Magistrate T. Akanni of an Ogba Magistrates’ Court had granted the trio N2 million bail with two sureties each in like sum.

    One of the sureties must be a traditional ruler, an individual with registered property in Lagos, a tax payer and a grade level 17 officer in the state public service.

  • Biafra: Return Nnamdi Kanu to prison now – FG tells court

    Biafra: Return Nnamdi Kanu to prison now – FG tells court

    Sequel to his alleged breach of conditions attached to his bail, the Federal Government has demanded that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu be returned to prison.

    The Government urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to revoke the bail it granted Kanu.

    The Federal Government argued that the IPOB leader had not only breached the conditions attached to his bail but had conducted himself in manners that threaten public peace.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that Justice Binta Nyako had given stringent conditions that the embattled leader must abide by before and after leaving the prison premises. She particularly barred him (Kanu) from granting interviews, and being in gatherings of more than 10 persons, when she granted the IPOB leader bail.

    Kanu was granted bail on April 25, 2017 on health ground.

    It cited Kanu’s alleged threat that elections would not hold in South East states until the Fed Government conducts referendum on whether or not Biafra should secede and instances where the IPOB leader addressed crowd exceeding 10 and threatened civil disobedience, as against the court’s directive that he must not be seen in a crowd of over 10 people.

    This was part of a counter-motion, filed by Magaji Labaran of the Federal Ministry of Justice, urging the court to dismiss an application by Kanu, seeking a review of the bail conditions.

    The Federal Government said, “The offence for which he (Kanu) is standing trial is not ordinarily bailable; the court, not withstanding, granted bail to the 1st defendant/applicant (Kanu) on health grounds on 25th April 2017.

    “Among other conditions for the bail of the 1st defendant is that he should not be seen in a crowd exceeding 10 people; that he should not grant any interviews, hold or attend any rallies; that he should file, in court, medical updates of his health status every month. The bail conditions were perfected by the 1stdefendant/applicant, which he is currently enjoying.

    “Rather than observing all the conditions listed above, the 1st defendant, in fragrant disobedience to the court order, flouted all conditions given by the court.

    “The 1st defendant equally incited his members to disrupt, disallow and boycott elections in South East states, starting with Anambra State gubernatorial election scheduled for November 18 if the Federal Government failed to hold referendum for the realisation of the state of Biafra.

    “The 1st defendant has already declared the bail conditions given by the court unconstitutional before approaching this court with the application for variation. Rather than showing remorse for his actions, the 1st defendant approached this court with an application for a review of the same conditions for the bail which he grossly flouted.

    “Considering the above, that the 1st applicant has violated the conditions on which the terms of his bail were premised, we urged this court to commit the defendant to prison by invoking the provision of Section 173(2)(B) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

    “We categorically state that justice would have been denied the state by this court, if the state is not protected from the offences being perpetrated by the 1stdefendant/applicant, who is currently on bail.”

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that Nnamdi Kanu and four others are being tried before the Federal High Court, Abuja on offences relating to conspiracy and treasonable felony.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Kanu during a rally in Enugu recently said he cannot be re-arrested because he has not flouted the bail conditions guiding his release from prison.

  • Again, court remands ex-Jigawa gov, Saminu Turaki, in prison

    Again, court remands ex-Jigawa gov, Saminu Turaki, in prison

    Barely five days after a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja, granted bail to a former Governor of Jigawa State, Saminu Turaki, a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered his remand in Kuje Prison, Abuja.

    Although Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court granted bail to the ex-governor on fresh bail conditions on Tuesday, he ordered the defendant to remain in Kuje Prisons, Abuja, pending when the bail conditions were met.

    Justice Dimgba gave the order shortly after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission re-arraigned Turaki and three companies on 32 counts of money laundering offences involving about N37bn.

    The defendants allegedly committed the offences between 2006 and 2007 while the former governor was in office.

    Turaki, alongside his co-defendants — INC Natural Resources Ltd., Arkel Construction Nigeria Ltd and Wildcat Construction Ltd — were earlier arraigned before the Dutse, Jigawa State Division of the Federal High Court, in 2011.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Turaki was last week arrested by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at the launch of a book titled, ‘The First Regular Combatant: Brigadier General Zakariya Maimalari’, which was written by Haruna Paloma, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

    The event was well attended by eminent Nigerians including former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; the National Security Adviser, Babagana Moguno; the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen Tukur Buratai; and several others.

    The Judge had asked Turaki to provide two sureties who must be residence within the FCT and with a verifiable means of livelihood as part of the bail conditions.

    Justice Halilu also ordered that the applicant should deposit all his travelling documents with the court registry.

    Also as part of the bail conditions the ex-governor was ordered to report to EFCC every two weeks to sign a register that would be opened for him.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Turaki is being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly mismanaging Jigawa state’s funds while he in office as governor.

    However, the EFCC had on Friday filed a fresh motion before an FCT High Court asking it to set aside the bail it granted to Saminu Turaki, the former Governor of Jigawa State.

    The EFCC in the motion filed through its counsel, Mohammed Abubakar claimed that the bail condition given to Turaki by Justice Yusuf Halilu was too liberal.

    After Turaki pleaded not guilty to the 32 counts on Tuesday, Justice Dimgba said he was inclined to granting bail to the ex-governor “in deference” to the earlier bail granted the defendant by Justice Halilu of the FCT High Court.

    He asked the prosecution and the defence led by Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), to agree on the bail conditions to be imposed on the defendant.

    The judge resumed sitting after about 10 minutes.

  • Seun Egbegbe meets daughter in prison

    Seun Egbegbe meets daughter in prison

    Embattled movie marketer Seun Egbegbe who is still in custody for fraud-related charges, was in unlimited joy when he met his baby daughter who was born in May.The controversial socialite had the rare opportunity to set his eyes on his daughter when his partner, Oyenike Yusuf paid him a visit.

    ‘I miss you so much. Expecting you home soon. May Allah answer all our prayers and always bless you. Love you till eternity,’ she wrote on Instagram.

    Recall that Egbegbe is being charged for attempting to defraud a bureau de change operators of over 40 million naira. He pleaded guilty and was granted bail in February. However, he has been incapable of meeting the bail conditions and has been remanded in Kirikiri prison since then.

     

     

  • FG, States to partner private sector in construction, rehabilitation of prisons – NEC

    The federal and state governments have agreed to partner the private sector in the construction and rehabilitation of prisons across the country, Ebonyi governor Dave Umahi, has said.

    Umahi made the statement on Thursday in Abuja while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC).

    Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe state and Dr Sani Aliyu, Director-General, National Agency for the Control of Aids, accompanied Umahi in the briefing.

    The meeting was presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

    Umahi said the agreement was arrived at after the Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Danbazau (rtd) and the Controller-General of Prison, briefed the council on the state of the nation’s prisons.

    He said that in their separate briefing, the two men presented the state of prisons in Nigeria and painted “an appalling’’ picture of structures and logistics in the prison system.

    “The Minister of Interior and the Controller-General of Prison came to brief us about the status of our prisons and inmates throughout the country.

    “The situation painted by the minister and the CG of Prison was quite pathetic.

    “It was also agreed that states that have the capacity to build prisons should go ahead including private sector participation.

    “The Minister made it very clear that over 70 per cent of inmates are awaiting trial, ‘’ he said.

    Umahi said that governors who attended the meeting were unanimous on the need to rehabilitate prisons in the country.

    He said: “It was indicated that states that have the capacity should as soon as practicable lend helping hand to provide facilities that will help decongest the prisons and improve the state of the inmates.’’

    The Ebonyi governor told newsmen that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) briefed the NEC on the implementation of the SDGs in the country.

    In his contribution, Gov. Dankwambo said that Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, announced a balance of $2.3 billion dollars in the Excess Crude Account.

    He said that the Accountant-General of the Federation gave update on the Stabilisation Fund, Natural Resources Development Fund and Ecological Fund:

    Dankwambo quoted the AGF as saying that the balance in the stabilisation fund as at June 28 was N28.5 billion; Natural Resources Development Fund was N87.6 billion while Ecological Fund was N28.9 billion.

    On the Budget Support Loan Facility, Dankwambo said the Acting President had directed that “the facility continues until claims of other states are paid. ”

    The Budget Support Loan Facility is an initiative of the Buhari administration to help states boost their finances in the light of dwindling funds from the Federation Account.

    Dankwambo said he briefed the meeting on the progress made by the Ad Hoc Committee on Excess Crude Account constituted by the NEC.

    He said that 10 out of 18 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) had been audited; adding that a comprehensive report should be expected by next meeting of NEC.

    In his remark, NACA Director-General stressed the need to set aside between 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of monthly federal allocation to states for financing HIV/AIDS programme.

     

    NAN