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Tag: Abuja

  • Engineer ejected by landlady emerges N20m lottery winner

    Engineer ejected by landlady emerges N20m lottery winner

    Mr Sidney Osahon, 35, Engineer from Edo, who won the ‘Give ‘n’ Take N20 million’ National Jackpot Bonanza said, his landlady almost ejected his family hours before he won the lottery.

    Osahon, who disclosed this at a news briefing organised by Give `n` Take National Lottery in Abuja, said he was threatened by his landlady on his way to claim the prize.

    He said that his family was being threatened by his landlady before he received the call that changed his life.

    He said, “My mother is still alive, my father passed on last year. So we couldn’t pay our rent and we were almost thrown out of our house.

    “My landlady gave us quit notice. As I was coming out to claim my prize she sent a text message that she will soon be at the house to give me a show down.

    Osahon revealed that he had been playing the Give `n` take National lottery from the beginning in June 2017, but just got lucky now.

    “Last week Sunday while watching the jackpot, and I saw my ticket number, I was in tears, I told God that I was tired of embarrassment of rent and I am moving into my house.

    “The interesting thing about this win is that there was another bonanza draw the first one, I did not win. But the person who won apparently did not show up to pick his ticket.

    “What this means is that if the person had showed up, I wouldn’t have been the winner, but God just got it for me. Today I am twenty million naira richer.

    “The whole thing is like a dream but I am living that dream. I say a big thank you to Give ‘n’ Take national lottery; they have changed my life for good. Now I am a landlord,” he said.

    In his address, Jolly Enabulele, Managing Director, Give ‘n’ Take National Lottery, said the N20million lottery prize from available records is the biggest in the history of lottery in Nigeria

    He added that a winner emerged for the N20 million bonanza of National Jackpot after 29 weekly Rollover.

    “Today we are bold to inform you that so many millionaires have been made in this lofty venture of giving back to the society through lottery business and good courses.

    He noted that the bonanza was done to reward the loyal players who trusted the brand and identified with it since its inception in June 2017.

    He added that the cheque will be officially presented to him on Sunday, January 14 during the live National Jackpot Game show by the Director-General of National Lottery Regulatory Commission.

    NAN

  • Presidency indicts Mark, Tambuwal, others over poor oversight

    Presidency indicts Mark, Tambuwal, others over poor oversight

    The Presidency on Tuesday indicted the leadership of the seventh National Assembly over alleged failure to conduct effective oversight on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    The Presidency claimed that the failure of the seventh National Assembly to carry out proper oversight on MDAs was responsible for massive corruption and stealing of public funds which it said was the hallmark of the‎ administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Recall that Senator David Mark was the President of the Seventh Senate, while Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, current governor of Sokoto State, was the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 7th National Assembly.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, told reporters that the failure of the lawmakers to properly oversee was responsible for the alleged syphoning of the security votes in the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and other agencies of government under President Jonathan.

    The Presidential aide also said that the former minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison Madueke, allegedly ran the petroleum sector single-handedly because the National Assembly does not do its oversight functions.

    Enang who was also a member of the Seventh Senate served as chairman of Rules and Business committee.

    He “If the committees in the 7th National Assembly were doing their work, by checking what was happening in the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Petroleum Ministry, we will not have had Diezanigate and all the other gates.

    “We will not have had all the probes and investigation. The legislature concentrated less that is why we are having the spill that the 8th Assembly is having. I feel guilty and I want to apologise. If the legislature did its duty like it is doing now, I think we will not have this situation.

    “This year you will have are going to have a robust executive, legislature relationship, you will not have uncommon compromises. You will have an engaging relationship.

    “The Senate has in two years doubled what the 7th Senate passed. The President has said that he will do his work as the president, the legislature will do its work and the judiciary will do its work. There will be no interference.

    “What is prevailing is the best executive, legislature relationship in the last 18 years.”

    On alleged budget padding, Enany dismissed it insisting that it does not exist.

    He explained that the National Assembly has the right to add or remove anything in the budget during budget consideration just like the executive can make amends before the budget is passed.

    Enang said: “In all my legislative years, padding is a new word in the legislative lexicon. So we have to define it as a new matter. In my opinion, padding is an illegal or unlawful insertion by a person who is not expected to do it in a legal, legislative document.

    “Therefore, unless a bill has been passed and forwarded to Mr President for assent, there can be no padding. If the bill had been forwarded to the president and something is inserted into that before it is assented to by any person and something is added different from what is in the votes and proceedings of the Senate and House of Representatives, that is what constitutes padding.”

    Enang also dismissed the insinuation that the 2017 budget was poorly implemented.

    For him, the level of implementation of the 2017 budget is “very high”, especially when about N1.3 trillion has been released in two quarters.

  • Masari mourns death of ex- Katsina State military governor

    Masari mourns death of ex- Katsina State military governor

    Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State on Monday described the death of a  former military governor of the state, Col. Yahaya Madaki ( rtd ) as a great loss to the country.

    Masari said in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Abdu Labaran, that the deceased was a gallant officer and gentleman, who was totally committed to the military institution during his life time.

    Read also: Ex-Kaduna governor, Lawal Kaita, dies at 85

    ‘‘Katsina State has lost a good friend, mentor and valuable adviser, whose imprints in the development of the state would remain indelible,’’ the governor said.

    Masari condoled with the immediate family of the deceased and the military establishment and prayed God to forgive the deceased.

    Reports say that Madaki died on Monday at the National Hospital, Abuja after a brief illness at the age of 70.

    Madaki was appointed the military governor of Katsina State by former Military President Ibrahim Babangida in December 1989 and handed over power to the first elected civilian governor of the state, Alhaji Saidu Barda in 1992.

    NAN

  • Rice importation exit: No hiding for smugglers – Customs

    Rice importation exit: No hiding for smugglers – Customs

    When President Muhammadu Buhari gives the go-ahead for the implementation of total stoppage of rice importation this year, the smugglers will no longer have any hiding or guise for trading on the prohibited item.  

    His administration had last year stopped the importation of rice through land borders. Besides, in his 2018 New Year broadcast, he dropped the hint that there will be the total stoppage of rice import this year.

    But speaking with The Nation on phone on Sunday, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah, noted that the fight against rice smuggling will be easier when the policy implementation begins.

    He said that unlike now that the criminals hide under the guise of the seaport to smuggle rice into Nigeria, upon the enforcement of the policy, any rice that is not Nigerian, will be seized as a smuggled item. 

    He said that “We have been fighting rice smuggling and if there is a total stoppage in seaport, land borders and all that, I think criminals will no longer have a hiding place. “The difficulty of knowing whether this rice came from the seaport or land border will be totally out of the picture. As long as it is not locally produced rice, it is a smuggled rice. So, they cannot hide under any guise.” 

    Asked how prepared the service is to implement the policy, the spokesman noted that with the support of the Federal Government, the organization looks forward to possessing more vehicles and equipment in 2018.

    According to him, the NCS is prepared and will be better equipped to combat smugglers. 

    “He said that We are prepared. With the support of the government any moment from now we will be taking over vehicles and other working equipment. So, we are going to be better equipped this year and that will also boost our activities to deal with not only rice smuggling but also to deal with smuggling of any prohibited items.”

    Attah, however, noted that the challenge he envisages in the implementation of the policy is that of the unpatriotic Nigerians who still harbour smugglers.

    He appealed to the citizenry to appreciate smuggling as a criminal act, and support the service to fight them by exposing their act. 

    The PRO said that “There will be no other new challenges rather than the challenges we have been facing. I will rather say that we will appeal for support from Nigerians. 

    “People should look at smugglers as enemies of the state. And the act of smuggling itself is a crime and this means no good for Nigeria and Nigerians. The more we continue to expose them to customs the better we do. 

    “But in a situation where a fellow Nigerian will provide shelter to smugglers to hide could be a challenge. We appeal to all to support and understand that fighting smugglers is a collective responsibility. 

    “They should do their own by providing the solution to us by exposing smugglers so that they don’t have any hiding place.”

  • PDP cautions FG on fuel price increase

    PDP cautions FG on fuel price increase

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday told the Federal Government to shelve any plan to increase the pump price of fuel of N145 per litre.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said any increase in price now would not only be criminal but inhuman and completely unacceptable to Nigerians.

    The opposition party claimed that the Federal Government has not been telling Nigerians the truth about oil-related issues while using the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to bandy figures to deceive the people.

    It said:”Instead of putting more burden on the people, the APC Government should come out clear on sleazes in the oil sector under its watch, particularly the shady oil subsidy payouts and illegal lifting of N1.1 trillion worth of crude using unregistered companies.

    “Any increase in fuel pump price would be an indirect tax on Nigerians to fund APC interests and considering the pains Nigerians have suffered under this inept and unfeeling Government, this intended hike will be callous.

    “It is now clear to all that this APC- controlled government will never act in the interest of Nigerians. All the actions and policies of APC, in their close to three years in office, have been targeted against Nigerians and there are no signals that they will change.

    “We, therefore, urge Nigerians to reject this plot to raise the prices of petroleum products even as they gear towards using the next election to end the misrule of the APC.”

  • Man in court for alleged sodomy

    Man in court for alleged sodomy

    A Grade 1 Area Court in Karu, Abuja, on Friday, granted a N100, 000 bail to an applicant, Mike Ugochukwu, 30, who is facing a case of alleged sodomy.

    The accused is facing trial for allegedly attempting to sexually abuse four male teenagers.

    The defendant, who resides at Kurudu, Abuja, is facing a one-count charge of attempting to commit sodomy, an offence, which contravenes Section 95 of the Penal Code.

    The Presiding Judge, Mr Aliyu Kagarko, admitted the defendant to the bail with a reasonable and reliable surety in like sum.

    He said the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and submit his drivers’ licence or National Identity Card and passport photographs to the court clerk.

    The Prosecutor, Mr Mahmud Ismail’la, had informed the court that the neighbours of the defendant, Mrs Grace Monday and Ezekiel Shiga, reported the matter to Kurudu Police Station on December 29, 2017.

    He also said that the boys, whose ages are below 18 years, had reported the sexual advances made to them by the defendant to their parents.

    Ismail’la said the defendant had made several attempts to abuse the boys by luring any of them at various times and they had been warned against it by their parents in the past.

    The prosecutor said that the defendant had earlier admitted committing the offences during police investigations.

    After listening to the charge, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the matter was adjourned to January 31 for hearing.

    NAN

  • Petrol price remains N145 per litre – Kachikwu

    Petrol price remains N145 per litre – Kachikwu

    The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on Friday in Abuja said petrol price remains N145 per litre, pleading that the issue should not be politicised.

    Kachikwu, who said this at a news conference, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s stand on the issue was clear, hence, the ministry was working hard to resolve future occurrence of fuel shortages.

    According to him, the essence of the ongoing meetings with stakeholders, which began few days ago, is to find mechanisms to ensure that fuel queues do not come back.

    “There are social media commentaries implying that when we met with the committee set up by the Senate President to review the causative factors of the fuel scarcity and find solutions, there was a statement credited to me that the price might be increased to N180.

    “No such statement was made; no such plan is intended. I needed to clarify this because sometimes some of these rumour mongering add to the difficulties NNPC had in terms of being able to control price speculation.

    “The president mandate on this issue is very specific: we are not increasing price from N145,’’ Kachikwu said.

    Read also: DPR seals 80 petrol stations in Delta

    He said issues being looked at include a “wetting’’ of all stations so that product is available at every time for Nigerians and how to deal with the problem of private marketers that pulled out from participation.

    “This is so that they can participate effectively in the supply of petroleum products in the country, all within the parameters of N145 per litre pump price.

    “I thought we should make this very clear. This is not a matter for speculation; anybody who does speculation on it is not being helpful to Nigerians.

    “They have already gone through a very difficult Christmas period. We are working night and day to try and find solutions. It is not a political issue; people should step out of that goal post.

    “We want to provide succour to Nigerians, we want to provide product at N145, that is the presidential mandate; that is the Federal Executive Council mandate; nobody is having a deliberation on that.

    “We are actually looking at steps for those who have breached these processes, what we can do to penalise them and also set very stiff penalties for those who go to sell above N145.

    “Going forward, after the recommendations, there will be very massive enforcement; very firm position on this issue; very firm tracking of product in this country.

    “Nobody deserves this sort of up and down in terms of product supply in this country.

    “I want to make that very clear, there is no discussed intended price increase issue; price is N145 per litre at the pump price; it remains that; nothing has changed; there is no mandate to increase that,’’ he stressed.

    Responding to another insinuation that marketers were free to fix petrol prices, he said there was no authorisation to modulate outside the N135 – N145 bracket.

    `This is not a multiple price-fixing environment where people can work outside the umbrella of what has been fixed. What we have approved was a modulation between N135 and N145 per litre.

    “I am aware that some stations, even as of this morning, sold at N143. The majority sold at N145. Some recalcitrant individuals sold above that and that is why the law needs to go after them.

    “Nobody is free to set price above that,’’ he said.

    On the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency ( PPPRA ) template that helps monitor importation into the country, Kachikwu said “the template has always been an issue.

    “This is because as prices change in the international market, some of this template become questionable.

    “As part of this committee’s work, we are also reviewing that template to see whether there are things we need to do to help us ensure that we can accommodate sales at the N145 per litre window.

    “That is also going to be looked at. PPPRA is working on that and it is heading a special committee on it’’.

    NAN

  • ICYMI: FG may increase petrol price to N180 per litre

    ICYMI: FG may increase petrol price to N180 per litre

     The Federal Government may increase the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol to a minimum price of N180 and above anytime soon.
    Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu who dropped the hint in Abuja on Thursday, said the current price of N145 per litre can no longer be sustained.
    In a presentation he made to a joint committee on Petroleum (Downstream) of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Minister said the landing cost for petrol stood at N171 per litre.
    According to him, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been bearing the cost of N26 per litre, representing the difference between N171 and the current official price of N145 per litre.
    Insisting that independent marketers would not be able to import the product at the current foreign exchange rate, saying the marketers were able to sell for N145 per litre when the exchange rate was N285 per Dollar. The Naira presently exchanges for N365 per Dollar.
    “We now have to go back and find the solution to this problem in order to ease supply gaps and ensure availability of the product at all times,” the Minister said.
    Kachikwu, however, proffered three alternative solutions to pump price increase: getting the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to introduce a modulated foreign exchange rate specifically for importers of the product; giving the marketers significant tax adjustments to enable them to absorb the high cost; and a plural pricing system whereby the NNPC would continue to sell at N145 through its numerous outlets while the marketers are allowed to fix their own price.
    The Minister identified causes of the last fuel scarcity to include diversion of products, logistic constraints, bottleneck associated with clearance, bad road network, insufficient product reserves, smuggling through land borders, supply gaps and enforcement challenges.
    He stated that the marketers stopped importing fuel since October 2017, as a result of their inability to access foreign exchange from the CBN, leaving only the NNPC to import the product, which has left a wide gap between demand and supply.
    Dr. Kachikwu lamented that the price of petrol rises with the rise in the price of crude oil in the international, stressing that in such instances, Nigeria spends more to import refined products. In effect, any rise in crude oil price increases the amount the country spends on the importation of fuel.
    To address the situation, the Minister canvassed the opening up of production lines, specifically the refineries, which he said, would address supply gaps that usually leads to incessant scarcity.
    “Rising prices in international market affecting domestic prices. What the country needs is to have the refineries working. It’s a shame that after 40 years, Nigeria cannot produce its domestic consumption.
    “It would take 18 months to address problems of scarcity, price stability and other issues relating to the supply of petroleum products. The pipelines should be concessioned to allow private participation.
    “There is huge infrastructure deficit in the system because the NNPC ought to be distributing products through their pipes but most of the pipes are damaged. The has necessitated the use of trucks to distribute the product across the country.
    “Most importantly, fixing the refineries should be the lasting solution. To discuss and address the issues, we have to seek approval from the President,” the Minister said.
    In his own submission at the hearing, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru said the last scarcity was caused by rumours of price increase in the media that led marketers into hoarding the product in anticipation of higher prices.
    Said he: “So there was a frenzy in the movement of products to the hinterland and diversion of products going to the hinterland in anticipation of the increase in price.
    “The NNPC, or the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Authority (PPPRA) had no mandate to increase pump price.”
    The GMD said that the strike action embarked upon by PENGASAN in December was partly responsible for the scarcity, saying issues raised by the association for going on strike had nothing to do with the NNPC.
    According to him, the strike triggered panic buying by members of the public leading to scarcity of the product. He added that although PENGASAN called off the strike on December 18, the damage had already been done.
    Baru identified other factors responsible for the last scarcity to be the higher price at which petrol is sold in neighbouring African countries, citing Cameroun where he said petrol sells for N300-N400 per litre.
    Stating that the NNPC has enough product to bridge supply gaps, Baru insisted the corporation has sufficient stock to go round even without importation.
    The GMD alleged that about 4500 distribution trucks failed to return to depots to complete their distribution formalities during the scarcity period, meaning that the trucks were diverted.
    “There was no supply gap because we have Direct Sale Direct Purchase (DSDP) agreement with 10 consortia involved. Three of them rejected their cargoes, which were reallocated to others.”
    The GMD also hinted that the refineries in Kaduna and Port Harcourt were being reactivated and restreamed and that they have been producing three million litres daily.
    Baru also cited disagreements among the various private operators in the sector as part of the problems that threw up the scarcity, adding that the marketers were busy trading allegations of sharp practices.
    He said: “For instance, IPMAN said MOMAN and DAPPMA were charging over N133.28/litre but when we asked them to provide evidence of overcharging, they could not provide any. If proven, NNPC would have withdrawn the licenses of the errant bodies.”
    The Executive Secretary of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mordecai Baba Ladan told the committee that at the outset of scarcity, the DPR rolled out its machinery across the country, with the directive from the Minister that defaulters be dealt with.
    “Almost every marketer/filling station across the country are defaulters. And if all defaulting filing stations were to be shut down, there may not be anyone left.
    “They horde, sell above official price and also divert products. But we have stepped up our monitoring process now that the NNPC is the sole importer but the corporation cannot do it alone.
    Virtually all the independent marketers that attended the hearing alleged multiple charges by the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), NIMASA and some state governments charging 3 kobo per litre wharf landing fee.
    The Executive Secretary of MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore said the N800 billion owed marketers by the Federal Government has made it difficult for them to obtain credit from the banks to import the product.
    He appealed to the government to give key players major roles in the importation business, saying that shutting down errant filling stations won’t solve the scarcity problem but rather aggravate it.
    Olawore called for total deregulation of the sector to allow more participants from the private sector.
    Curiously, however, the chairman of the joint committee, Senator Kabiru Marafa who had vowed to grill the Minister and the GMD over secret subsidy payment by the government.
    Briefing newsmen at the National Assembly on Friday, Marafa had raised questions on who pays the difference of the N26 in the landing cost of N171 against the pump price of N145.
    The lawmaker said there were indications that a subsidy of N26 was being paid on every litre of petrol sold in the country and wondered who has been paying the subsidy.
    Marafa had said, “If there is subsidy payment, then who approved it and how much has been paid out as the subsidy so far. If you want to provide the subsidy, it should come through the National Assembly but we have not received any request for subsidy payment from the Executive arm.”
    Stating that about N10 trillion has been paid out as the subsidy, Marafa had lamented that stakeholders in the Petroleum industry, particularly the NNPC, have not been transparent in the running of the sector.
    He said these were some of the issues the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Baru and others would be made to explain to Nigerians at the January 4 hearing.
    “We are going back to the same circle where only a few persons benefit from subsidy payment at the expense of the Nigerian people,” Senator Marafa had said.
    Other members of the joint committee are Senators Tayo Alasoadura, Mao Ohuanbunwa, Sabi Abdullahi, Foster Ogola, Yahaya Abdullahi, Rose Oko, Philip Aduda among others.
  • Abuja residents express views on return of BBNaija

    Abuja residents express views on return of BBNaija

    Some FCT residents have expressed divergent views following the recent announcement by M-Net West Africa of its commencement of the third season of its popular reality television show, Big Brother Naija (BBNaija).

    BBNaija returns to TV screens on Jan. 28 after the final auditioning of the next batch of 12 Housemates, according to the BBNaija’s official page.

    The residents who spoke with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja expressed their expectations and reservations on the show.

    Mr. Anthony Ada-Abraham, Entertainment and Tourism Editor of Leadership Newspapers said, “many did not expect that the last edition which saw Efe from the hood clinching the ultimate price would be thrilling.

    “This year, a movie producer friend of mine is also going for the show and I think it would be great to see him doing what he knows best.

    “He is a great guy and I know if he gets into the house, he will surely win.

    “However, I expect a lot of thrills, frills and scandals,’’ Ada-Abraham said.

    An upcoming musical artiste, John Anzaku popularly known as ‘Jay Nelly’ said the show is an important platform for the development of youths and the entertainment industry.

    He stressed that some of the previous participants and winners of the show were currently doing well in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

    “Efe the 2017 winner was not known before the show, but after the show he has develop in his music career to the next level and doing well.

    “Look at Miyonse, even when he was evicted after some weeks in the house, he still got cooking endorsement deals and a television show.

    “More so, see Bisola, Debie-Rise, Tboss, Kemen and the others, they are all doing well today because they participated in the 2017 edition of the show,’’ Anzaku said.

    Miss Maria Kigbu, a student of the Nasarawa State University who could not contain her excitement said: ‘I am so happy that the show is coming up later this month. In fact I can’t wait to start watching it.

    “Last year was interesting. I believe this year will be better. I am so happy. I can’t wait to see the contestants and intrigues in the house,’’ Kigbu said.

    Meanwhile, Mrs. Pepertua Obi, a civil servant and mother of four boys said that the show does not have any meaningful impact in the lives of the teeming youths in the country.

    “When you say the show is a platform for the youth to showcase their talents, so after that what next?

    “Some of them do not have any source of livelihood but they will be looking for money to recharge their phones and buy data to vote for their favourite housemates.

    “Instead of this so called BBNaija show, they should channel the resources into talent hunt where youths will bring out the best talents in them to positively change the world,’’ Obi said.

    BBNaija is a reality TV show where 12 contestants live in an isolated house and compete for a huge prize at the end of the show. Each participant avoids being evicted by viewers through votes.

    The first season of the show was aired on DSTV from March 5 to June 4, 2006.

    Its voting results are usually verified by the auditing company of Alexander-Forbes.

    MultiChoice Nigeria, the leading Pay TV operator in the country, which announced the return of Africa’s biggest reality television show, said it will be sponsored by Payporte, Nigeria’s leading online store.

    It said the return of the show is coming as a result of the success of the second edition where aspiring hip-hop artiste Efe Ejeba, won N25 million prize money and an SUV after almost three months of drama, intrigue, betrayal and entertainment in the Big Brother house.

    Speaking on BBNaija return, the regional director, M-Net West Africa, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu said: “Around the globe, the Big Brother format remains one of the most popular genres of entertainment and this is also the case in Nigeria.

    She said that the edition of BBNaija was one of the most successful reality shows not just in Nigeria, but around the continent with a record number of votes and many of the housemates going on to pursue careers in entertainment.

    “We are delighted to have the show return for a third edition and cannot wait for our audiences to once again tune in to experience all of the exciting entertainment that the show is sure to provide,” Mba-Uzoukwu said.

  • Man jailed five months for cheating

    Man jailed five months for cheating

    A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced a 36-year old technician, Tohomou Yangoua, to five months imprisonment for cheating.

    Yangoua, of Daki Biyu village in Jabi, Abuja, was sentenced on a one-count charge of cheating.

    The Area Court judge, Abubakar Sadiq, however, gave him an option of N20,000 fine and also ordered him to pay the N250, 000 as compensation to the complainant.

    The convict had earlier pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.

    Sadiq said that the punishment would have been stiffer if the convict had not saved the court the rigour of protracted prosecution.

    He also warned the convict to be of good behaviour.

    The rosecutor Mrs. Florence Auhioboh, had told the court that on December 24, 2017, Godiya Moses of Daki Biyu Jabi, Abuja, reported the matter at Life Camp Police Station.

    Auhioboh said that in November 2017, the complainant gave the convict N250,000 to obtain visa to United Arab Emirate for her.

    She told the court that after the convict collected the money, he absconded and dishonestly converted the amount to his personal use.

    The prosecutor added that during police investigation, the convict made a confessional statement and all efforts made to recover the money proved abortive.

    Auhioboh said the offence contravened the Penal Code.

    NAN