Category: Crime

Twelve bank staff working with an undisclosed old-generation financial institution in Enugu State have been arrested over the alleged stealing of customers’ funds.

Naija News reports that the suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency revealed the names of the suspects as: Odeniyi Anthony, Deki Kingsley Onyekachi, Oguchukwu Ene, Elendu Chizaram, Victoria Ezedie and Chidi-Ukah Obinna.

Others involved in the fraudulent acts include; Anyakora Uchenna, Onah Kingsley, Akwe Elizabeth and Chinenye Grace Acibe, Etoh Lawrence Uzochukwu and Udeze Harrison.

The anti-graft agency tagged the crime as an ‘insider fraud’. The suspects are said to have stolen different amounts of money from some dormant accounts in a branch of an old-generation bank in Enugu.

The funds according to the EFCC, were transferred from various beneficiaries, with the principal beneficiary already identified.

The commission has, however, assured that all the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

In another development, the Lagos command of the anti-graft agency on October 17, 2022, arraigned one Usman Tolani Abass before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a five-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira).

The EFCC in a publication on its official Twitter page said the offence is contrary to Section 285(9) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

It’s Better To Engage In Yahoo Yahoo Than Gambling – Seun Kuti Drops Controversial Statement

Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti said on Monday that he would rather be an internet fraudster also known as ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ instead of a gambler.

Kuti insisted that gambling is a scheme created by foreigners to sell false hope to people and milk them of their resources.

He begged African youths to stop gambling and engage in ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ instead.

Speaking further, Kuti insisted that gambling is a lost cause from the get-go when compared to Yahoo Yahoo.

Making case for his preference still, Seun noted ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ can be controlled unlike gambling where the people are at the mercy of a scheme.

This article was originally published on Naija News

The Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Police Force said it is currently investigating the heinous killing of a toddler by a man alleged to be the father of the child.

It was revealed in a statement made available to newsmen over the weekend by the Command’s spokesman, DSP Ramhan Nansel, that one Abdulkadir Ahmed conspired with his friend and lured his estranged wife to a location where they killed her baby.

Naija News understands that the 40-year-old prime suspect was followed and arrested by police operatives who were immediately informed of the disturbing situation.

DSP Nansel revealed that Ahmed had committed the alleged crime on October 11 in Lafia, the state capital of Nasarawa.

He said Ahmed and his ally, Hassan Sabo of the same age, lured the mother of the three-week-old baby to his shop opposite a Correctional Facility in Lafia under the pretext of seeking reconciliation with her.

However, on arrival at the shop, the suspect allegedly took the child away from the mother into the shop while Sabo engaged her in a discussion outside, and suddenly, the child screamed and went quiet.

The police spokesman said the mother upon hearing her child scream, inquired from Ahmed who came out of the shop alone. He, however, lied to her that the child had gone to sleep.

Not satisfied with his response, the woman reportedly rushed into the shop and found her child lying lifelessly as the suspects immediately fled the scene on a motorcycle.

Nansel said the body of the child was evacuated to Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia by the police for post-mortem examination but was confirmed dead.

The spokesman added that the state Commissioner of Police, Adesina Soyemi, has ordered a thorough investigation into the dastardly act.

This article was originally published on Naija News

The Ghanaian authorities have reportedly deported at least sixteen Nigerians from the country over their alleged involvement in fraudulent activities.

A statement issued on Friday in Lagos by the Controller of the Seme Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Dr Chukwu Emeka, explained that the citizens of whom many are victims of deception were tagged with cyber crime by the sister African country.

The NIS boss said preliminary investigation revealed that some of the citizens had entered Ghana through illegal routes as many of them were made to believe they will find their greener pasture in the part of the African continent.

“Ghana’s Financial and Intelligence Agency accused them of cyber crime but from our preliminary investigation, we discovered that some of them were lured into these criminal activities due to the get-rich syndrome our youths are developing.

“Some of them are victims in the sense that they were deceived that they can make money if they leave Nigeria. Unfortunately, they don’t get the actual thing they bargained for in Ghana.

“Further investigation also showed that most of them left the country through illegal routes or through the sea to other West African countries,” Emeka said in the statement obtained by Naija News on Friday.

The official said since many of them had travelled without genuine travel documents, they became prey to the Ghanaian authorities.

According to him, the Comptroller General of NIS, Idris Jere, had always advised Nigerians to get genuine travellers’ documents before leaving the country.

He added: “Yes, we are part of the ECOWAS treaty of free movement and goods within the sub-region. But the condition is that you must enter those countries through a legitimate route and with the right travel documents.

“It is also important to have definite means of livelihood, if not, by the time you get there, they will see you as a public charge and they will return you to your country.”

More Nigerians Will Be Deported

Emeka who lamented the knowledge of young Nigerians getting involved in some unholy activities outside the country, when they should be building their talents for their future, said more of the citizens would be repatriated from Ghana soon.

He urged Nigerians to always travel with valid documents, adding that they should live and do their businesses according to the law of the land they had travelled to.

Emeka stressed that the Government of Ghana had contacted the Seme Command of NIS and that more Nigerians would be sent packing soon. The controller promised to return those already repatriated to their families after NIS must have concluded its investigation.

One of the deportees, Richard Paska, a 24-year-old graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, said that he was lured to Ghana by the promise of a good job.

“My father had to look for money to let me go in February 2021, so that I could start a job. The job was a networking business, but when I arrived in Ghana, the story changed.

“I was managing myself with some Nigerians when some of the personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service arrested us and brought us back to Nigeria.

“I had intended to come back but I did not have the transport fare. I really regret going to Ghana,” he said.

Naija News learnt that the 16 deportees are men with ages ranging from 19 years to 24 years.

This article was originally published on Naija News

Two persons were reportedly killed on Wednesday when a group of terrorists invaded Gidan Baushe, Gatakawa village communities of Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The State Command of the Nigeria Police Force confirmed this in a statement on Thursday through its spokesperson, SP Gambo Isah.

Naija News learnt that the assailants had earlier stormed the communities and abducted no fewer than 18 people. The terrorists according to reports stormed the communities at midnight riding on motorcycles and started shooting sporadically.

Isah explained that the command was informed of the situation and immediately deployed its personnel to the scene to confront the terrorists.

He, however, revealed that the two victims were killed before the arrival of the police, adding that another resident was injured.

Isah added, “On October 12, 2022 at about 1am, a distress call was received that terrorists in their numbers, on motorcycles, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles, attacked BAUSHE, GATAKAWA village, Kankara Local Government Area. On receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Kankara Division, led tactical units to the area and engaged the hoodlums into a fierce gun duel. The team successfully repelled the terrorists from their heinous mission and rescued all the kidnapped victims.

“In the course of scanning the scene, five motorcycles and two cows were recovered. Sadly, two villagers were killed and one was injured by the terrorists. It is feared that many terrorists were neutralised and/or escaped the scene with gunshot wounds.

The police mouthpiece said the investigation is ongoing on the development.

This article was originally published on Naija News

A former Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olasupo Shasore (SAN), is set to go for trial over alleged cases of money laundering.

Naija News understands that the Nigerian government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a case against the citizen before the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over the said crimes committed in 2014.

The charges against Shasore that were presented to the court on August 12, 2022, by EFCC counsel, Bala Sanga, and three others include inducing one Olufolakemi Adelore to accept a cash payment of $100, 000 without going through a financial institution.

Shasore was also accused of making a cash payment of $100, 000 to Olufolakemi Adelore through Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin.

In addition, the former Lagos AG was alleged to have made a cash payment of $100, 000 to one Ikechukwu Oguine without going through a financial institution.

The offences, according to the commission, contravened Sections 78(c); 1(a) and 16(1)(d) and 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and are punishable under section 16(6) and 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.

The charges filed by EFCC read thus: “That you Shasore on or about November 18, 2014, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court induced Olufolakemi Adelore to commit an offence, to wit accepting cash payment of the sum of $100, 000.00 without going through a financial institution which such exceeded the amount authorised by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 78(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(6) of the same Act.

“That you Shasore on or about November 18, 2014, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court, in a transaction without going through a financial institution, made a cash payment of the sum of $100, 000.00 to Adelore through Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin, which sum exceeded the amount permitted by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 1(a) and 16(1)(d) the Money Laundering(Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

“That you Shasore on or about November 18, 2014, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court, induced one Ikechukwu Oguine to commit an offence, to wit: accepting case payment of the sum of $100, 000. 00 without going through a financial institution, which exceeded the amount permitted by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.”

The Lagos federal high court, however, has scheduled October 20 fo Shasore’s arraignment.

This article was originally published on Naija News

The Osun State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has said it is carefully investigating the killing of the Babaloja of Ora-Igbomina town, in the Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State.

The deceased, Oladepo Asaolu, who is said to be an aged landlord, was reportedly sold to kidnappers by one of his tenants in the community.

Naija News learnt that the chief’s decomposing body was found in the bush, four days after his sudden disappearance from his house.

A preliminary finding by the police revealed that the unnamed tenant sold Asaolu to the criminal elements for N1 million.

It was gathered that Asaolu went missing on October 5, 2022, after a motorcyclist came to his house in Ora-Igbomina around 5 am and took him to an unknown place.

Reports revealed further that the deceased had informed neighbours that the unknown bike man was taking him to his farm before his corpse was found four days later in a bush.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident to Channels TV saying that: “It is true that the man’s decomposing corpse was found in the bush on Sunday. I gathered that his tenant, an indigene of Osan community, close to Ora-Igbomina, sold him to kidnappers at the rate of N1 million.

“Meanwhile, his abductors have been arrested four of them are presently at the police net.”

This article was originally published on Naija News

An All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader has been reportedly killed by a yet-to-identified group of hoodlums in a community in Enugu State.

Details made available to newsmen on Sunday (today), revealed that Lucky Okechukwu was killed last night in the Igboeze South Local Government Area of the state.

While the state police command is yet to release an official statement on the incident, a resident of the community who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Okechukwu was shot dead last night in the Unadu area of the town.

The APC chieftain who didn’t want his name mentioned in its entirety because he was not authorised to speak for the party, said: “Yes, it is true. I don’t know his real name but we received information that he was shot dead by gunmen last night. If the party want to speak on the incident, it will be going to issue a statement on that.”

The PUNCH claimed in its report that the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, didn’t respond to his calls and messages as of when the incident was reported.

Tragedy As Five Family Members Die In Enugu

Meanwhile, Enugu Police Command said on Sunday that it is investigating the tragic death of five family members who were killed in the state over the weekend.

Naija News learnt that there was a commotion in Amutenyi, a village in the Obollo-Afor community in the Udenu Local Government Area of the state after the lifeless bodies of the five family members were found in their apartment in the community.

According to the report, the tragic incident happened on Saturday morning. Police confirmed on Sunday through the command’s spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, that the incident involved a woman, her two children, and two sisters, who visited her.

It said that the victims had been deposited in the morgue for autopsy to unravel the cause of their deaths.

The names of the deceased were revealed as Chinyere Odoh (the mother), her two children: Udochukwu Odoh ‘f’ aged seven and Chukwuemeka Odoh ‘m’ aged four, as well as her two sisters: Martina Ezeme and Ngozi Ezeme.

Disclosing further on the incident, Ndukwe said the State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Ammani, was bittered with the development and has ordered the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department to conduct a full-scale investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the sudden and unnatural death.

Ammani expressed his condolences to the family members and friends of the deceased person. Meanwhile, the Command said a preliminary investigation revealed that the said deceased persons went to bed the previous night and were not seen in the morning.

This article was originally published on Naija News

The Ajuwon Division of the Nigeria Police Force in Ogun State is reportedly having the custody of a 50-year-old man who allegedly drugged and raped his daughter, Naija News reports.

The suspect, Olukayode Joseph, was reportedly arrested by operatives of the Ogun So-Safe Corps for s3xually violating his 14-year-old daughter after sedating her with drugs.

Joseph according to reports, had turned his daughter into s3x machine as he had repeatedly violated her.

Narrating the arrest of the suspect, the So-Safe Corps spokesman, Moruf Yusuf, in a statement on Friday morning said the agency got a distress call that Joseph a resident of Akinbo Phase 2, Opposite Ola Fatia House, Olambe in Ifo Local Government Area of the State, had allegedly had carnal knowledge of his biological daughter.

Yusuf disclosed that the State Commander, Soji Ganzallo, upon getting informed of the situation, directed the Divisional Officer of the Corps in Oke-Aro/Olambe, SC Akeem Olaiya, to go after the suspect with immediate effect.

He added that the Agbado Area Command also mobilised more men to the scene to protect the alleged rapist against jungle justice.

“During preliminary investigation, the suspect confessed to the crime, and pleaded for mercy after realising that there is nowhere to hide his secret deals with his innocent daughter,” Yusuf said.

The victim whose identity was not revealed for security reasons, reportedly accused her father of serially sleeping with her after sedating her with drugs.

“I only used to notice white discharges from my private part,” The PUNCH quoted the victim as saying.

When interrogated, however, the father denied sedating his daughter before sleeping with her, saying it was his first time having sex with her.

Yusuf said the suspect and the victim had been transferred to the Ajuwon Police Division for further investigations, Naija News reports.

This article was originally published on Naija News

Some youths suspected to be internet fraudsters reportedly staged a protest against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Delta State on Tuesday.

The event, however, resulted in bloodshed as one person was reportedly killed at Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

It was revealed that several trucks were also set ablaze during the protest. Naija News learnt that the presence of security operatives in the area scared away the suspects who have deserted the Otovwodo area in Ughelli for fear of being arrested.

Calmness according to Daily Post has returned to the community as security operatives keep watch over the area.

The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, who spoke on the phone with reporters in Warri, said, “I am not aware of that now. I am waiting for information.”

It was, however, unclear if the person shot dead is one of the suspected internet fraudsters.

PSC Sacks Seven Top Police Officers, Demotes 10 

The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Tuesday, announced the dismissal of seven senior officers from the police force, Naija News reports.

The affected personnel were sacked over alleged gross misconduct. This is as the commission also approved the reduction in rank of ten other officers. The development was announced today during the continuation of the 15th plenary meeting of the Commission.

The summit which is presided over by the force’s acting chairman, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, is expected to end on Thursday, October 6th, 2022.

At the event, the force acted on all the Pending Disciplinary Matters (PDM) before it.

A total of 47 PDM were reportedly attended to while the commission also treated some appeals from dismissed police officers.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the meeting in Abuja, the spokesman of the commission, Ikechukwu Ani said, the dismissed officers include: 1 CSP, 1 SP and 5 ASPs.

He added that one SP was also retired in the public interest. The Commission also reduced the ranks of 1 CSP to SP, 3 SPs to DSP, and 2 DSPs to ASPs.

The ranks of 4 ASPs to Inspectors were demoted at the event while 10 senior Police Officers, including an ACP, a CSP, an SP and 2 DSPs were given the punishment of severe reprimand.

This article was originally published on Naija News

Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly killed at least three people in the Chibok local Government area of Borno State.

Reports reaching Naija News at the moment revealed that the insurgents stormed Njilang, a community in the Whuntafu Ward on Monday at about 2:34 am and began a shooting spree on the residents.

It was further disclosed that the terrorists looted houses, and shops before setting ablaze residential buildings without confrontation.

Confirming the incident, the Executive Chairman of the Council Area, Hon Umar Ibrahim, told Vanguard Newspaper in Maiduguri on Monday evening, that the attack has caused tension in the community.

The attack, Naija News understands, is coming not long after reports said scores of motorists and passengers plying the recently reopened Maiduguri-Damboa- Chibok- Askira/ Uba road were killed in a bomb blast.

It was gathered that scores of people sustained various degrees of injuries from the attack. The citizens were travelling on the road when their trucks conveying foodstuff pass on a planted Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, by suspected terrorists.

Naija News understands that the route which has been closed down for many years was reopened recently.

The road was reopened after the Theatre Commander Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) North East, Major General Christopher Musa, appealed to the present administration to fix the dilapidated portions of the road.

The terrorists, however, took advantage of the reopening and planted the IEDs.

One of the survivors of the IED bomb attack, Abubakar Usman had told reporters that “the insurgents targeted some trucks conveying foodstuff and off- loaders, which they succeeded in their mission.”

The chairman of the Chibok local Government area, however, has said that he is yet to get the full details about the attack on Njilang.

”Yes I received a distress call today that one of my community, Njilang was attacked by armed terrorists.

“Though details were still sketchy, some callers informed me that three people were killed with destruction of infrastructures, while other versions revealed that more than four people were killed in the unfortunate incident.

“As for the Maiduguri-Damboa-Chibok road IEDs incident, I also heard it from some other people, including yourself, but couldn’t ascertain the number of victims or where exactly it happened“ Vanguard quoted the Chibok Chairman as saying.

This article was originally published on Naija News

There was a commotion in the Kaiama local government area of Kwara State yesterday after a man shot dead his younger sibling while testing the efficacy of a gun charm he newly prepared.

The State Police Command is said to have already launched a search for Abubakar Abubakar who allegedly fired the gun at his 12-year-old brother, Yusuf Abubakar, and fled the scene.

Reports made available to newsmen revealed that Abubakar had newly prepared himself a charm capable of protecting one against gunshot. Elated with his new work, the two brothers who are residents of Dutse Gogo Town reportedly went out to try the efficacy of the charm.

According to Vanguard, the duo are sons of a hunter. Abubakar’s charm was expected to protect gunshots from penetrating and killing anyone.

An eyewitness who spoke with the media platform said the charm failed on Abubakar’s junior, penetrated his body and he died immediately.

The elder brother according to reports immediately escaped into the bush to avoid the wrath of members of the community.

Confirming the incident, the Spokesman of Kwara State police command, Ajayi Okasanmi said an investigation into the matter has commenced as directed by the Commissioner of Police Kwara State, CP Paul Odama.

Okasanmi however urged parents and guidance across the state to monitor the activities of their wards in order to avert such tragedy again.

This article was originally published on Naija News

An angry mob in Lagos State reportedly killed two suspected Point of Sale (POS) robbers on Saturday in the Igando area of the state.

The incident was confirmed to newsmen in a statement by the state command of the Nigeria Police Force on Sunday, Naija News reports.

The suspects according to the command’s spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, had robbed a POS attendant in the Igando area of the state before people in the area engaged them.

In a post on his verified Twitter page, Hundeyin revealed that the suspects were apprehended on Independence Day. He said that the mob set the victims ablaze and burnt them beyond recognition.

He said, “Police arrived at the scene but the mob had fled. The investigation has commenced.”

The police mouthpiece berated the incident, stating that the force is worried about how to put a stop to the archaic and criminal practice.

Hundeyin said jungle justice was a criminal case in Nigeria, calling on members of the public to stop the crime. He said rather, they should hand over the suspect to the police for prosecution.

In his narration, the spokesperson commended reporters for doing a fantastic job in reporting the arrest of criminals in Lagos state.

He, however, urged judiciary correspondents to do more, to update Nigerians on the progress of prosecution of criminal cases in various courts in Lagos.

“This would halt the fallacy that, Police were collecting money and releasing suspects,” he said.

Kwara: Two Dead Bodies, Car Recovered After Heavy Downpour 

The Kwara state Fire Service over the weekend recovered two dead bodies and a Toyota Yaris car from a river opposite Olusola Saraki Abattoir, along Sobi road in Ilorin.

The Head of Department, Media and Publicity of the service, Hassan Adekunle, in a statement said the operation was carried out with the support of residents after they were notified on Friday.

He further urged the general public to desist from driving during a heavy downpour.

“The victims were struggling to drive through the bridge and suddenly got stuck in the flood which pushed them into the river”, Adekunle who gave the car’s registration number as Lagos APP544E noted.

He said, “the Director, Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, has therefore urged the general public to avoid driving whenever there is heavy rainfall”.

This article was originally published on Naija News