The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian news

  • Sales reps arraigned for ‘displaying stolen N10m rings online’

    Two sales representatives of a jewellery accessories shop, Innocent Erim and Emmanuel Ndukwe, were on Tuesday arraigned at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State for allegedly stealing 2000 rings worth N10million from their employer, Sherifat Mohammed.

    Erim, 27, and Ndukwe, 29, of no fixed addresses, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing before Magistrate Mrs. K. K. Awoyinka.

    Prosecuting Corporal Godspower Ehizoba said the theft occurred between February 2017 and March 2019 while they were still employees of the jewellery shop located at Shop 6, Estate Mall, Femi Okunnu/Jakande roundabout, Lekki Phase 3, Lagos.

    Read Also: Two unemployed men bags six months in prison for stealing food items

    Ehizoba said the defendants conspired among themselves to commit the offence.

    He alleged that the stolen rings belonged to the complainant, Sherifat.

    The prosecutor said the theft was discovered when one of them displayed the rings online.

    He said when the complainant reported the matter at the Bar Beach Police Station, Lagos, the defendants were arrested and 119 rings were recovered from them.

    Not satisfied with the investigation, the prosecutor said the complainant petitioned Area ‘A’ Command, Lion Building Police Station, Lagos Island and another investigation was launched, which led to the recovery of additional 1500 rings.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Awoyinka granted the accused N300,000 bail each, with two sureties each in the like sum.

    She said the sureties must provide a minimum account balance of N300,000, show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and have their addresses verified.

    She adjourned the case till September 11.

  • PDP national youth leader ‘kidnapped’

    The National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Sunday Udeh Okoye, has been allegedly abducted.

    Okoye was alleged to have been kidnapped on Monday evening on his farm at Ohumagu, Agbogugu in Enugu State, by suspected herdsmen.

    Read Also: PDP knocks Buhari over escalating insecurity

    The national leadership of the PDP was yet to react to the news of the abduction, as our correspondent’s repeated calls to its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, early yesterday were not answered.

    An SMS sent to Ologbondiyan seeking to know if the leadership of the party had been officially informed about the kidnap was also not replied.

  • EFCC nabs 60 Internet fraud suspects

    The Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested over 60 Internet fraudster suspects and secured 37 convictions since its operation in Akwa Ibom State.

    The commission’s Zonal Head in Uyo, Mr. Garba Dugum, disclosed this on Tuesday at a news briefing in Uyo.

    He spoke about the collaboration between the commission and America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the fight against cybercrimes.

    Dugum, represented by his deputy, Alex Ebbah, said the zonal office was acting according to the directives of its acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

    He said Magu had given a marching order, which motivated them to launch an independent raid against the suspected fraudsters, culminating in strategic raids and onslaught on their hideouts.

    Read Also: EFCC recovers $690,400, N550m from suspects in Kano

    Dugum said: “In furtherance to the acting chairman’s directive to the zones, we have launched intensive investigative actions against this infamous ‘Yahoo Yahoo Boys’, culminating in strategic raids and onslaught on their hideouts.

    “Our efforts have recorded tremendous success, which resulted in over 60 arrests, 37 convictions and recovery of a number of posh cars and properties suspected to have been acquired through the proceeds of the crime.”

    He said the commission has gone beyond arrest, investigation, prosecution and conviction of Internet fraudsters to prevention of the act by embarking on sensitisation programmes to educate youths on the implication and the need to stay away from the crime.

    Dugum hailed the collaboration with FBI and other international law enforcement agencies in the fight against Internet fraudsters, saying his office has received about 20 cases of Internet fraud reported by the FBI through the United States Department of Justice.

    He said his office through such collaborations had received over 20 cases of Internet fraud reported directly by the FBI through the United States Department of Justice, some of which are under investigation.

    He listed the cases received through Mutual Legal Assistance by other international law enforcement agencies to include five from Hong Kong Police, five from Danish and Norwegian police and four from Israeli police.

    Others include three from Austrian police, one from Swedish police, one from Zambian police and another from Bulgarian police.

    He said the investigation of the cases had resulted in seven arrests involving a whopping sum of money in foreign currencies, which the fraudsters defrauded their victims.

  • Navy goes tough on marine criminals

    The Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Rear Admiral David Adeniran, has pledged the commitment of the command to ensuring a peaceful and crime-free waterway in the area.

    He spoke on Tuesday at the launch of the 2019 sea demonstration exercise for personnel of the command code-named ‘yangha mi’, an Ibibio language meaning “rescue me or save me”.

    It was held at the Ocean Terminal Jetty at Onne in Elements Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Calabar, Rear Adm. David Adeniran, flags-off ‘Exercise Yangha Mi’ aimed to tackle sea piracy and oil theft, in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers on Tuesday (3/9/19)

    Adeniran said ‘yangha mi’ is meant to dislodge criminals on the waterways, limit their activities in the command’s areas of responsibility and strengthen the achievements of other sea exercises initiated by the command against criminals. He added that they are just one out of several other operations of the command to ensure maritime safety and security, to boost the nation’s economy.

    Read Also: Internal security: Navy trains officers on non-kinetic warfare, human rights

    “Sea exercise is one of the numerous operational engagements of the command. Others going on are ‘Operation Dekamor’ (calm water), ‘Swift Response’, among others.

    “These operations are aimed at ensuring maritime safety and security in the maritime environment. The gains of these engagements can be seen in the decrease in piracy and sea robbery, militancy, kidnapping, crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, thus, there has been increase in shipping activities, crude oil production and other forms of economic activities of the citizens.

    “In the light of the foregoing, exercise ‘yangha mi’ is meant to consolidate on the gains so far achieved. Accordingly, the exercise will be conducted in the entire Eastern Naval Command area of responsibility and some parts of the command’s area of responsibility from September 3 to 6,” Adeniran said.

  • Police arrest father for allegedly killing son

    The police in Akwa Ibom State have arrested and detained a 35-year man, Idorenyin Essien, for allegedly burning his son to death.

    The Nation gathered that he allegedly took the action after accusing his son of stealing N500 from a neighbour.

    The incident reportedly occurred in Eket Local Government.

    Police spokesman Odiko Mac-Don Achibe said the incident happened last Friday at Afia Nsit community in Eket.

    He did not give the name of the deceased, but said Essien was arrested in his home at Afia Nsit by the operatives on patrol.

    Read Also: Father arrested for killing sons with sniper

    Achibe said the suspect would be arraigned after investigation.

    Mr. Effiong Okon, a community leader in Afia Nsit, alleged that Essien burnt his son to death after accusing him of stealing N500 from a neighbour to buy food.

    He alleged that Essien’s son, a minor, stole N500 from a neighbour’s house to buy food and when the father returned, the neighbour reported the matter to him.

    Okon said the father refunded the money and slammed his son.

    He alleged: “The father later sent the boy to buy kerosene for him and he innocently ran to buy the item, not knowing that the father intended to use the kerosene to burn him to death.”

    Okon alleged that the father called his son out of the house, tied him with a rope, poured the kerosene on him, struck a match and watched him burning.

    “The father tied his son’s hands and legs and ‘set him ablaze’ in front of his house at Afia Nsit in Eket,” he alleged.

    Okon said the boy was taken to hospital by sympathisers, but he eventually died, adding that the community alerted the police, which prompted the man’s arrest.

  • Civil Defence parades suspects

    The Abia State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has paraded two persons arrested for allegedly dealing in illegal petroleum products.

    The suspects, Osondu Nweke and Ogbonna Uchendu from Anambra and Abia states, were reportedly arrested at Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State by operatives of the anti-vandal unit of the command.

    Read Also: Bunkering fire explosion kills seven in Delta community

    NSCDC state Commandant Mr. Nnamdi Nwannukwu, while parading the suspects before reporters, said Osondu was arrested in a Mack truck with 33,000 litres of dark viscous liquid suspected to be a petroleum product.

    He said Uchendu was also nabbed in an 18-seater bus loaded with two 800-litre GeePee tanks and a 120-litre drum of a similar product.

    Nwannukwu said the suspects would be arraigned after investigation.

  • Teacher arraigned for ‘sharing nude pictures, videos with pupil’

    A 40-year-old mathematics teacher, Emmanuel David, was on Tuesday arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for allegedly sending nude pictures and videos to his 14-year-old pupil.

    David, of no fixed address,  is facing a one-count charge bordering on sexual harassment before Magistrate B. O. Osunsanmi.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ezekiel Ayorinde said the offence was committed between August 5 and 10 at Agege, Lagos.

    He alleged that the teacher sexually harassed his pupil by sending her love messages, pornographic pictures and videos.

    Read Also: Suspected hoodlums rape 16-yr-old girl to death

    The accused was alleged to have requested for his pupil’s nude pictures and videos through WhatsApp application.

    Ayorinde alleged that the defendant was fond of making sexual advances to the teenage girl.

    He said the matter was blown open after the teacher asked for the girl’s number and she gave him her mother’s because she does not have a phone.

    The prosecutor added: “The defendant started sending love messages and nude pictures, thinking he was chatting with the girl, but her mother was reading his messages.”

    Ayorinde said it was when the accused asked for the girl’s naked pictures and videos that the mother reported the matter to the police and the defendant was arrested.

    Magistrate Osunsanmi granted the defendant N200,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    She said the sureties must be employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case was adjourned till October 16.

  • Govt should stop harassing rich youths, says Naira Marley

    Nigerian indigenous rapper and singer, Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, in a recent video posted on his Instagram, shows that he is yet to get over his case with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

    The singer, who is in Dubai for his show, lamented that Nigerians in Dubai spend their money to beautify the city, which should rather not be the case, if they were encourage to use it in Nigeria.

    He, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to stop harassing rich youths, saying the government should let them feel at home.

    Read Also: Davido set to marry heartthrob Chioma, holds introduction

    It would be recalled that Naira Marley was arrested by the men of EFCC on May 10, for alleged credit card fraud and was charged to the Federal High Court, Lagos on Thursday May 30.

    However, the court granted him the bail on the conditions of a N2 million bond, and two sureties, one with a landed property and the other, a civil servant, not lower than a level 10 officer.

    After perfecting his bail conditions, Naira Marley was released on Friday, June 14.

  • Ondo monarch pleads for Sowore’s release

    The Kalasewe of Apoi in Ilaje local government area of Ondo State, Prof. Sunday Amuseghan,  has pleaded with the Federal Government to release the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, from detention.

    The monarch said Sowore, who is a worthy son of Apoi, should be released unconditionally because his arrest and detention portends grave danger for democracy.

    The publisher of Sahara Reporters and convener of Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria was arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Services over a planned protest tagged: RevolutionaryNow.

    He was accused of a plot to forcefully change the government.

    In a statement, the Kalasuwe said the arrest was a violation of Sowore’s fundamental human right, adding that , he did not commit treasonable offence because the protest has not been held.

    Kalasuwe, who faulted the rationale behind the arrest, said it was unfortunate that Nigerians usually forgot past events.

    He said Nigeria’s problems emanated from the military’s dictatorship and the tendency to gag the press and prevent freedom of speech and expression.

    The monarch said the planned protest would have presented to Nigerians and opportunity to express their feelings to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Amuseghan said Nigerians were entitled to express their feelings, provided the protest was peaceful and violent-free.

    He said: “Not everybody can have access to the presidency in Abuja. This is democracy, not militarism, where people are cowed and jailed over issues relating to their welfare.

    “Sowore is an activist, and he was part of the struggle for this democracy. Therefore, he is entitled to express his feelings and that of Nigerians in a democratic setting”.

  • Council chief names building after Lagos Speaker

    The Chairman of Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State, Hon Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi has started construction work on a new legislative building named after the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa.

    The compositions of the building, which will have curtain wall design, on completion include: 74-seater gallery, all councillors’ offices, 18-seater conference room, and a parking lot, among others.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Egunjobi said a confluence of factors informed the council’s decision to have a new legislative building, which is named after the Lagos Speaker, who represents Agege Constituency 01 in the State House of Assembly.

    He cited the need to create an enabling environment that would inspire quality legislation and make it much more convenient for the councillors to perform legislative functions vested in them.

    “Many factors informed this project; one, no society can develop without laws that are framed to foster fairness, justice, growth and development.

    “It is also imperative that the environmental condition where laws are made is conducive enough and devoid of any kind of impediments and distractions, which are the reasons for this project,” he explained.

    The council chief justified the naming of the new legislative building after Obasa, saying the Lagos Speaker, who doubles as the Chairman of the Speakers’ Conference is an illustrious son of Agege and has contributed immensely to the development of the area and Lagos in general

    He said: “It is a necessary to honour and immortalise the most successful legislator of all time, from our community, in the person of Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa.

    “Obasa is a lawmaker extraordinaire, who cuts his teeth in law making as a councillor representing Ward E in old Agege Local Government Area, comprising our sister council, Orile between 1999 and 2002, and was at a time during the period, the Deputy Leader of the legislative arm.

    “The story of modern Lagos and its meteoric rise in the area of growth and development brought about by good governance, an offshoot of cerebral legislation will be incomplete without his name being made mention of.

    “He has to his credit: the introduction of town hall meeting in all the 40 constituencies of the state, initiation of four private bills, including that of the Neighbourhood Watch, the anti-kidnapping, the anti-land grabbing and the cancer institute bills.’’