The Nation Newspaper

Tag: House help

  • House help steals employer’s $51,000 in Lagos

    House help steals employer’s $51,000 in Lagos

    A domestic worker, Blessing Effiong, has been arrested by operatives of the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 2, Onikan, for allegedly stealing her boss’s $51,000 (approximately N81.6 million).

    Blessing was arrested with her husband, Bassey Effiong, by detectives of the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department (ZCID), who trailed them to Cross River State where they fled to after committing the alleged crime in Lekki, Lagos.

    According to the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO), SP Ayuba Umma, the couple conspired and committed the offence on December 26, barely three days after Blessing started working as a domestic help at the owner’s Lekki residence.

    Umma, in a statement yesterday, said the couple was arrested on January 31, adding that they already used the money to acquire properties for themselves.

    Asked who the owner of the money was and whether he/she was interrogated for hoarding such amount of foreign currency at home, Umma answered in the negative, stressing that the information he provided was all he knew.

    “Blessing Effiong was recommended for employment by an agent named Anthony and began working as a domestic employee on December 23, 2023.

    “Only three days into her employment, she absconded with $51,000 USD and fled with her husband to Cross River State.

    “Following intensive investigation, both suspects were apprehended on January 31, 2024.

    “During the investigation, it was revealed that Blessing Effiong had approached Anthony under false pretences, providing misleading contact information and using registered phone numbers not associated with her identity.

    Read Also: House help ‘steals’ employer’s $51,000 in Lagos

    “She failed to complete her employment application form, indicating her fraudulent intentions.

    “Despite initially denying the full extent of stealing, Blessing Effiong eventually confessed to stealing Thirty Thousand United States Dollars ($30,000 USD), admitting to giving Twenty Thousand United States Dollars ($20,000 USD) to her husband, Bassey Effiong.

    “Bassey Effiong in turn confessed to receiving the stolen funds, part of which he used for settling his late mother’s medical bills, purchasing a tipper truck, two motorcycles, and completing a construction project in Cross River State.

    “Both suspects have been charged and brought before the court following the completion of the investigation under the directive of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command. AIG Olatoye A. Durosinmi.

    “AIG Durosinmi encourages members of the public to exercise vigilance and conduct thorough background checks before hiring domestic staff for their safety and to prevent falling victim to criminal elements,” Umma said.

  • House help charged with attempting to extort $68,500 from boss

    An Igbosere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday remanded a house help, John Magbeiti, who allegedly attempted to extort $68,500 from his Chinese employer, Wuse Williams.

    Chief Magistrate Y. O. Aro-Lambo remanded Magbeiti, 36, in prison custody following his plea of guilty to a two-count charge of attempt to steal by demanding with menace and giving false information to the police.

    He adjourned till November 27 for a review of the facts and sentencing.

    Police counsel Morufu Animashaun had told the court that on October 10, at 4, Eko Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, Magbeiti fraudulently and unlawfully demanded $67,600, from Williams.

    Animasaun said when the ploy failed, the defendant wrote a false petition to the police alleging that Williams failed to pay him $900, as agreed, for sexual favours.

    The prosecutor said the defendant was arrested after the police discovered that the petition was false and the complainant, Williams, accused the defendant of attempting to steal his money.

    Magbeiti, who did not have any legal representation, pleaded guilty to both counts.

    The charge reads: “That you John Magbelti ‘M’ on or about the 10th day of October, 2013 at No 4, Eko Street. Park View, Ikoyi, Lagos, with intent to steal, demanded with menace the sum of $67,600 from one Mr Wuse Williams and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 301 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    “That you, on or about the 22nd day of October 2018 at No. 4, Elm Street, Park View, Ikoyi, Lagos, sent a petition to the Inspector-General of Police with allegations that one Mr Wuse Williams, a Chinese national, had sexual intercourse with you under a contract to pay you $900 from April 2014 to 30th November 2018, the information which you knew was false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 96(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

  • Widow arrested for biting house-help in Onitsha

    The police in Anambra State have arrested a widow for allegedly biting her eight-year-old minor at Housing Estate, Fegge Onitsha.

    The suspect had been accused of battering the minor, who hawked sachet water after returning from school, anytime she disobeyed her instructions.

    It was gathered that trouble started when the victim, a native of Osumogho in Ihiala Local Government Area, forgot to switch off the gas cooker after cooking.

    “She held her closely and bit deeply into her body for allegedly wasting her gas,” a neighbour, who pleaded not to be named, said.

    A rights activist Dede Uzor Uzor said his findings revealed that the minor had been undergoing series of abuses, including biting.

    He said he reported the matter to Fegge Police Station, which led to the suspect’s arrest.

    Efforts to contact the Fegge Divisional Police Officer, Mr Rabiu Garba, were unsuccessful.

    But a senior police officer, who spoke in confidence, said: “The woman is in our custody.”

  • ENIOLA BADMUS drops hint of new movie

    Still enjoying the reviews of her work, ‘Ghetto Bred’ in cinemas across the country, Nollywood actress, Eniola Badmus,  has hinted of another movie with the title ‘House Help’.

    Though  detail has not been revealed on the new work in progress, the 9mobile brand ambassador seems to have enjoyed the first project, resulting to another follow-up movie.

    “The multi-talented actress who has her own production company, Enibad Productions, said it was a dream come true owning her own production company, which had the movie ‘Ghetto Bred’, as its first works.

  • House help jailed 13 years for burglary, theft

    An Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, has sentenced a house help, Anna Payaro, to a total of 13 years imprisonment with hard labour for burglary and theft of her employer’s $5,000.

    Payaro, 28, was found guilty on a five-count charge of conspiracy, burglary, breaking, entering and stealing.

    Following a 10-month trial, Chief Magistrate K.O. Matepo sentenced her to two years imprisonment each on counts one to four and five years on count five, with hard labour, totalling 13 years.

    But Payaro will spend only five years in jail, because the sentences are to run concurrently.

    The convict was arraigned by the police on June 6, 2016, and re-arraigned on a substituted charge on November 22, 2016.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji told the court that Payaro and her accomplices, who are still at large, conspired to commit the offences on May 27, 2016, at Goshen Estate, Lekki Lagos.

    Osuji said she broke into the residence of her boss, Mr Olatunde Adepoju, while he and his family were abroad.

    According to him, Payaro stole Adepoju’s jewellery valued at N1.2million, a cash sum of $5000, and N300,000.

    During the trial, one of the estate’s executives, Mrs Teniola Jaiyeola, testified that she heard the convict talking to her accomplice about the incident.

    Jaiyeola said “When I saw the broken wall and Payaro told me that it was a burglar that broke into the house, I told her that the opening at the broken wall was too small for even a baby’s head to enter.

    “I later overheard her telling someone on phone that ‘They said that the wall you broke is too small, for  a baby’s head to enter.’”

  • House help charged for stealing jewellery, phone

    House help charged for stealing jewellery, phone

    A 22-year-old house help, Kemi Johnnu has been charged with stealing jewellery worth N1.1 million and a Samsung Galaxy phone belonging to Akanji Funmilayo before an Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    The defendant, resident at 1, Agric Estate, Isheri Olofin in Idimu, allegedly stole the items on June 28 and absconded.

    She was arraigned before Mrs. O.O Olatunji for theft and false identity, an offence she pleaded not guilty to.

    According to the complainant, Johnnu, a Benninoise, had told her that her name was Titilayo. She was granted bail in N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

  • I’m glad my house help left, says Rukky Sanda

    I’m glad my house help left, says Rukky Sanda

    Hollywood actress, Rukky Sanda is not a new name in the Nigerian movie industry. To her credit are several hit movies since her debut in 2004.

    Only last weekend, she capped it all up with the premiere of her latest production, Dark, which witnessed the presence of the who-is-who in the Nigerian movie industry.

    The actress who looked very sultry at the event says that her journey into moviedom has been amazing so far, especially considering the learning process she has had to go through.

    The CEO of the production house, Rukky Sanda Studio says that she has a recipe for keeping fit and it does not include any hard work. “I don’t know; I just try to be myself and try to be healthy, I think that’s the most important thing,” she said when asked about her beauty routine.

    She also has an interesting story to tell. Not a foodie herself, she says, it came as both a surprise and a relief when two weeks ago, her house help stole her money and ran away.

    “He cleaned my room a day before and I didn’t see him again in the morning. He ran away. He told me he wanted to go, that his father told him to come home like five days before he ran. I’m glad he left because I don’t eat as much anymore, the boy knew how to do everything and it was annoying because before I finish one he is bringing another and I don’t even go out I was eating like a glutton so I’m glad he left,” she recounts.

  • Police arrest Orekoya kids kidnapper

    Police arrest Orekoya kids kidnapper

    Funmilayo Adeyemi, the house-help who kidnapped three children from the Orekoya family in Lagos state has been arrested.

    Her arrest was confirmed on Thursday by the Lagos state Police Commissioner,  Mr Kayode Aderanti while speaking on Sunrise Daily.

    “We swung into action, transferred it (the case) to the headquarters and assigned it to our Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    “Along the way, we tried to do everything possible because of the safety of these kids; so paramount to us.

    “So we did everything possible to narrow down the space to Shasha area and found the children abandoned in the building and we went there and evacuated them to safety.

    “But the beautiful thing is that the maid, Mary Adeyemi , was arrested yesterday night,” he said.

    The three kidnapped children of the Orekoya family, aged 4, 6, and 11 years old were kidnapped by the new house maid – Adeyemi , who was hired through an online platform in Lagos State.