The Nation Newspaper

Tag: recovered

  • N10m stolen milk recovered

    The police in Ebonyi State at the weekend recovered a stolen truck loaded with milk worth over N10million at Abakpa Main Market in Abakaliki.

    The command’s spokesman Chris Anyanwu said the cartons of Peak milk were stolen in Onitsha, Anambra State, by a five-man gang led by Ikechukwu Joseph.

    Ikechukwu, 21, a wheel barrow pusher, hails from Ezza North in Ebonyi State.

    Other members of the gang include Ayo Adebowale, 21, from Ogun State; Ogwuta Ikechukwu, 21, from Ebonyi and Iruka Lazarus, 35, from Ebonyi.

    Anyanwu said when the owner of the goods, Amaobi Nwachukwu, a businessman, finished loading the truck of milk and was about sending it to the buyers, Ikechukwu contacted a member of his syndicate, Saidu Ibrahim, who dismantled the security gadgets in the truck and drove it.

    Ibrahim, a mechanic, who lives at Orefite, Ugwu Abor in Anambra State and an indigene of Itire village in Osun State, was alleged to have moulded keys and one fitted into the truck.

    He drove it to Asaba in Delta State before heading for Abakaliki.

    The police spokesman said: “He drove the truck to Asaba and on getting to a lonely road, he told the mastermind of the crime, Ikechukwu, that they would not be safe carrying the goods in the truck.

  • Adoke: Fed Govt has recovered £22.5m stolen assets abroad

    Adoke: Fed Govt has recovered £22.5m stolen assets abroad

    THE Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke (SAN), said yesterday the ministry has recovered over 20 million pounds allegedly stolen from Nigeria’s coffers.

    The minister also gave reasons why the death penalty could not be abolished in the country.

    Adoke spoke at this year’s Ministerial Platform in Abuja.

    He noted that the stolen money was recovered from a man he named as Raj Arjandes Bhojwani, an Indian and associate of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

    The minister said the assets were recovered in 2011, adding that the ministry also recovered and repatriated the money following its negotiations with the Island of Jersey.

    Adoke said: “During the period under review, the ministry intensified its efforts to trace and repatriate Nigeria’s stolen assets abroad.

    “In this connection, we have maintained effective liaison and communication with targeted jurisdictions to keep pace with assets recovery proceedings in those jurisdictions.

    “In 2011, our close liaison and negotiation with the Island of Jersey led to the recovery and repatriation of £22.5 million confiscated by the Royal Court of Jersey from Raj Arjandes Bhojwani, an Indian national and associate of Gen. Sani Abacha, on account of his money laundering transactions from Nigeria.”

    The minister also said the Principality of Liechtenstein recently confiscated 175 million Euro from the Abacha family and associate companies in Liechtenstein.

    According to him, although Nigeria has not recovered nor repatriated the money following an appeal by the companies involved, the ministry would ensure the repatriation of the money.

    “We continued the liaison and negotiations with the Principality of Liechtenstein, which recently confiscated 175 million Euro from the Abacha family and associated companies in Liechtenstein, following a confiscation order by the Supreme Court of Liechtenstein.

    “However, the companies involved have lodged an appeal against the decision before the European Court of Justice in Strasburg.

    “As soon as the appeal is concluded, firm arrangements consistent with the asset recovery provisions of the United Nations convention against corruption would be made to repatriate the forfeited sums to Nigeria.”

    On death penalty, the minister said global debate on its desirability or otherwise, as well as its abolition had not assumed a momentum to command a global agreement.

    He noted that even if death penalty was to be abolished, it should be done by the states, because most capital offences that attracting death sentences are state offences.

    Adoke said since Nigeria operates federalism, the Federal Government cannot compel states to do away with death penalty.

    He hoped that when the time comes, the laws would be amended to provide an alternative to the death penalty.

    Also, the Federal Government has prosecuted 75 suspects for terrorism and Boko Haram insurgency between 2011 and 2013 Adoke said yesterday.

    He said 16 of the cases had been concluded with eight convictions while 35 cases were struck out.

  • Lagoon accident victim’s body recovered

    Lagoon accident victim’s body recovered

    Lagos State Government has recovered the body of an occupant of a Hilux van that plunged into Majidun River in Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, on Saturday.

    The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, told reporters yesterday, that one person was in the vehicle when the accident occurred.

    He said four workers of Ikoyi Club left their office that morning in the vehicle, adding that three of them alighted at Palmgrove bus stop while the deceased, who was Ikorodu-bound, remained in the vehicle until the accident occurred.

    He said the victim’s remains had been deposited in a mortuary. The deceased was said to have driven the vehicle marked KSF 918 AU belonging to Ikoyi Club.

  • Ogun crash: 12 bodies recovered, search continues 

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) yesterday recovered 12 bodies of passengers of a coastal bus which veered off a dual carriage bridge before plunging into a river last Friday at J4 in Ogbere – Ijebu stretch of Lagos – Ore expressway.

    The FRSC was assisted in the operation by the National Emergency Agency (NEMA), Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Nigeria Police Force and Red Cross Society.

    The victims were 11 women and the driver.

    They were travelling in the Federal Urban Mass Scheme coastal bus marked BWR 428 XA to Edo State for a burial at Uronigbe in Oriohwon local government.

    21 persons were said to be in the bus at the time of the accident.

    The Ijebu-Ode Unit Commander of FRSC, Mr. Issa Seidu, who confirmed recovery of the 12 bodies, said three persons were earlier rescued alive on Friday night and taken to a private hospital in Ore, Ondo State.

    On the cause of the accident, Seidu said: “It is a clear case of over speeding on the part of the driver of the bus. If you look at the distance from which the bus ran into the river, which is about a kilometre away, you realise the driver was on a terrible speed.

    “It clearly shows that the driver was on a suicide mission. Although we don’t know the actual number of people in the bus but one of the survivors said they were 21.”

    An official of NEMA South-West Zone 2, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said the agency is yet to ascertain the number of passengers in the bus.

    He added: “This is the first phase of the operation; the second phase which is going to start soon will be search and rescue operation for the rest bodies.”