Crime Facts

Retired DSP seeks compensation from police for nephew’s death

A retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mamman Danladi, on Monday, urged the independent panel investigating violations of rights by defunct SARS and other police units set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to order the police to compensate his family for the alleged extra-judicial killing of his nephew, Kennedy Yusuf. The retired police officer stated this at the hearing of the petition he filed before the panel, adding that though the family was handicapped, it wanted perpetrators of his nephew’s murder brought to justice. Testifying before the panel, Danladi said the late Yusuf, a son of his brother, was on January 10, 2007 arrested by policemen from the Jikwoyi police station on the allegation of stealing two bags of cement. According to him, the 25-year-old student of Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi, was hale and hearty as of the time he was arrested. He alleged that the deceased was severely beaten by five policemen while he was being interrogated and was later locked up in a cell, adding that the torture continued on January 11, 2007 till the deceased lost consciousness. The retired police officer informed that he got the information from Kennedy’s friends: Felix Dabo and Peter Orji who were present when he was subjected to cruel and inhumane degrading treatment by the policemen. Danladi told the Justice Suleiman Galadima-led panel that his nephew was left in an unconscious state for hours before he was taken to Pogba Clinic and Maternity at Jikwoyi, “where he was dumped without medical attention because the police refuse to deposit money for the commencement of treatment.” Danladi stated that it was the late Yusuf’s friend, Peter Orji, who called the father, Yusuf Danladi, in Kwoi in Kaduna State, to inform him that his son was sick and was admitted to the clinic where he was left by the police unattended. He informed that his brother came to Abuja from Kwoi and went straight to the hospital where he deposited the sum of N3,000 for treatment, adding that before anything could be done, his nephew died the same day. While being cross-examined, the retired police officer said though he did not witness event leading to the death of his nephew, he witnessed the autopsy performed at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada. He told the panel that the law did not allow torture of suspects by police. Danladi informed that he did not know if the Inspector-General of Police investigated the petition he wrote to the police boss in 2007.

Military Officers’ Arrested With 234kg Compressed Hard Drugs

‘ The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted two suspected fake military officers in a new VIP edition of Toyota Hilux Jeep loaded with 394 compressed parcels of illicit drugs concealed in different parts of the vehicle. The spokesman of the agency, Jonah Achema, said on Tuesday in Abuja that the suspected fake military officers; Mohammed Nura and Abubakar Dahiru, were intercepted by operatives of the Kogi State Command of the NDLEA along Okene-Lokoja expressway on Monday, February 15, 2021. He quoted the Commander, Kogi state Command of the anti-drug agency, Mr. Adewunmi Alfred, as saying that the VIP edition of the Hilux Jeep was properly searched during which 394 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa were discovered in different compartments of the vehicle. “Our initial investigations have revealed that the consignment was taken from Lagos and heading to Kano for delivery,”, Alfred said in a brief to the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) on Monday. “Though the two men identified themselves as military officers but that did not sway our men from a thorough search of their vehicle and the result was the discovery of the illicit drugs tucked in every hidden part of the vehicle. Indeed, we suspect the two men to be fake military officers until proven otherwise.” He added that the vehicle has been impounded, the illicit drugs seized and the suspects detained for further investigations. He added, “Investigations have commenced and the outcome would be forwarded for further directives and appropriate action.”

Cultists kill female Benue varsity student

Gunmen have killed a female student of Benue State University (BSU) identified as Jessica Agee. Suspected cultists had invaded the residence of Agee at Gyado, a suburb in Makurdi metropolis, on Monday night. The incident happened after the shootings by rival gangs who protested the seizure of examination papers from suspected cultists who were writing their last paper at Mass Communications department. There were also shootings around the second gate of BSU while some final-year students were celebrating their exit from school after completing their examination. Head of Information at BSU, Tse Vanger, however, told newsmen that he was not aware of the killing of the student but he confirmed the shooting which he said took place at the faculty of law. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Catherine Anene, confirmed the killing of the student but said the details of the incident were not yet available to her at the time of filing this report. Anenem, however, added that the corpse of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue while investigation was ongoing.

Bitcoin now above $50,000 for first time as major companies consider cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin’s price broke above $50,000 for the first time in history Tuesday, continuing its blistering rally as major companies appear to now consider cryptocurrencies. According to CNBC, the world’s largest digital currency by market valuable rose more than 3% to an all-time high of $50,487 at about 7:30 a.m. ET, according to data from Coin Metrics. It later fell below the mark. Bitcoin has gotten a boost from news of large firms like Tesla, Mastercard and BNY Mellon showing support for crypto. Tesla last week revealed it had bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin and plans to accept the digital coin as payment for its products, while Mastercard said it will open up its network to some digital currencies. PayPal and BNY Mellon have also made big moves to support crypto. Tesla’s use of corporate cash to buy bitcoin sparked speculation over whether other major companies would follow suit. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told CNBC last week that the company had discussed but “quickly dismissed” the idea of buying bitcoin but is considering whether to accept cryptocurrencies as payment. These developments have led many crypto investors to believe the latest bull run is different than past rallies. Bitcoin skyrocketed to nearly $20,000 in late 2017 before losing more than 80% of its value the following year. Bitcoin believers say that, whereas the 2017 bubble was driven by retail speculation, the current cycle is being fueled by demand from institutional investors. “I think bitcoin is a much more stable asset class today than it was three years ago,” Michael Saylor, CEO of enterprise software firm MicroStrategy, told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” program on Tuesday. “It used to be dominated by leveraged retail traders … on international markets with a lot of leverage.” MicroStrategy and Jack Dorsey’s fintech firm Square hit the headlines last year after taking the unusual strategy of using corporate cash to purchase bitcoin. “I think that starting in March of 2020, you saw institutions start to arrive, and I think in 2021 you’re going to see that trend continue,” Saylor added. “There’re enthusiasts for bitcoin as a medium of exchange, … but I personally believe that the compelling use case is a store of value.” MicroStrategy has seen its share price climb more than sevenfold since it first bought bitcoin in August. The company announced Tuesday that it will offer $600 million in convertible bonds to buy more bitcoin. There has been speculation that MicroStrategy offered a blueprint for Tesla’s bitcoin purchase after an exchange between Saylor and Elon Musk on Twitter about making “large transactions” with the cryptocurrency. Still, skeptics see bitcoin as a speculative asset and worry it may be one of the biggest market bubbles in history. Economists like Nouriel Roubini say that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have no intrinsic value. And a recent Deutsche Bank survey said investors view bitcoin as the most extreme bubble in financial markets. (CNBC)

10 Things To Know About The New EFCC Boss

Abdulrasheed Bawa, the new helmsman of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has about 16 years of experience on the job. At 40, he is the youngest person to chair the Commission. The founding chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, was appointed at the age of 43 in 2003 Before his new appointment, the Kebbi-born operative worked as the Zonal Head of the EFCC in Lagos and Oyo States. Below are 10 things to note about the anti-graft czar. •He was born in Jega, Kebbi State, 40 years ago. This makes him the first person to be appointed to the EFCC job from the north west. •Bawa is the first career operative to head the EFCC. His appointment puts to rest agitation by “core EFCC staff” to have one of their own to head the commission. Bawa served under all EFCC past chairpersons, starting with Nuhu Ribadu, who recruited the first set of civilians into EFCC (including Bawa) in 2005. •The operative started work with EFCC from its Lagos office, after his recruitment in 2005. He went on to work at the headquarters in Abuja, and for a year in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. •He was educated at the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Economics in 2001 and master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy in 2012. •He is a Deputy Chief Detective Superintendent, a position he was promoted to in 2016. •Bawa has led a number of key corruption and financial crimes investigations including the infamous case of former Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, the case of former Niger State governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu and that of the Controversial crude oil swap. He was also involved in the investigation of petroleum subsidy fraud (2012-2015). •Bawa has headed EFCC zonal offices in Ibadan and Port Harcourt between June 2018 and December 2019. From Port Harcourt, Bawa was posted to Abuja as head of Capacity Development Division of the EFCC Academy, Karu. •Bawa was trained by the FBI, KPMG and many other institutions in the UK, United States and Nigeria.

BREAKING: Veteran Nollywood actor Victor Decker dies mysteriously in his apartment

Veteran Nigerian actor , Victor Decker , was found dead in his apartment yesterday by his neighbours at about 5 pm. The Mayor of the Actors Guild of Nigeria , Abuja , Jesse Nazareth, in an exclusive chat with The PUNCH , said Decker ’ s neighbours had to break down the door to his apartment before they found his lifeless decomposed body seated in his sitting room However, the cause of his death is still unknown. Victor Decker died at 72. Nazareth said , “ Yes, Victor Decker is dead. I am in the mortuary where they want to embalm him . I am not aware of the cause of his death . I just got a call that his neighbours did not see him for days so they got concerned. They went to his house, knocked on his door but got no response so they had to break down the door . That was when they saw him sitting on his chair lifeless . He was already smelling as he was decomposing. I rushed down there to arrange the necessary things. ” She added that several hospitals rejected the body of the late actor because it was already decomposing. “ I had to obtain a police report and cars to convey him to a hospital. I took him to several hospitals but they rejected him because his body was already decomposing. At about 3 am this morning , we were referred to a private hospital in Bwari, Abuja , where they accepted his body . This morning, they are embalming his body but they need to first reduce its size as he has swollen. ” Nazareth stated that the late actor ’ s younger brother was with her, while the rest of his family would join them in the hospital later today . “ His younger brother , Samson Decker , is here with us . He cannot talk to the press at the moment because he is not in the right frame of mind . Victor Decker was about 72 years old when he died . ” Decker starred in films like Double Strings , If I am President and Lotanna .

Police arrest caretaker for allegedly killing Imo undergraduate ‌

The police have arrested the caretaker of the Ezinwanne Lodge in Nekede, Owerri, Imo State, identified as Daniel Okufuwa, who allegedly beat an undergraduate of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Anthony Chinweotito. According to the Punch, Chinweotito, 20, a 100-level student of the Building Technology Department, was reportedly beaten unconscious by his caretaker on February 2, 2021 over outstanding rent. He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where he died four days later. The caretaker fled after the incident, but the President of the Students’ Union Government of the institution, Chukwuebuka Eze, told our correspondent that Okufuwa was in the police net. According to the student leader, the caretaker is being detained at the command’s headquarters in Owerri in connection with the student’s death. Eze added that the SUG was following up on the matter and would ensure that the undergraduate got justice. He said the students’ body had instructed that the lodge, where the undergraduate was assaulted, be shut and students who had renewed their rents be immediately refunded. When contacted, the spokesman for the state police command, Orlando Ikeokwu, said one person had been arrested in connection with the incident. He could not, however, confirm if the suspect in custody was the caretaker. Source: the Punch

BREAKING: Atiku’s campaign manager, Gbenga Daniel, decamps from PDP to APC

Former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has joined the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, Vanguard reports. Gbenga was a front row member of the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, having led the campaign team of defeated presidential candidate, Abubakar Atiku. Daniel is expected to pick up the membership card of APC before the registration of new members closes today. In a statement, Daniel apologised to his former party for the short notice, stating that his support for Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, was a pointer. He explained that the decision took a speedy curve with the request of the national caretaker Chairman of APC to visit him along with three governors. “I thought I should quickly brief the house before the news goes viral,” he said. The statement made available to Vanguard read that “Dear Friends & Colleagues, pardon my short notice in informing you of my route to the APC which as you might have suspected started with my supporting Governor Dapo Abiodun during the last election. “I have since experienced an avalanche of encouragement to come on board. “However in the last 48 hours things took a dizzying speed with the decision of the APC National Chairmans request to visit me at Asoludero on Wed with about 3 Governors. While planning for the visit Governor Abiodun also decided to visit me later today with another set of Governors later today. It therefore mean that I have finally been ‘captured’ “I thought I should quickly brief the house before the news go viral. Thanks for your understanding OTUNBA GBENGA DANIELS.” A source close to the former Ogun State governor said he will meet with the chairman of the caretaker committee of the APC and governor of Yobe State Mai Mala Buni on Wednesday. Expected to be part of the meeting are governors Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State. Gbenga Daniel’s defection announcement came barely 24 hours after former Social Democratic Party, SDP, governorship candidate in Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, perfected his defection to the APC.

BREAKING: Buhari Appoints 40-Year-Old Bawa As New EFCC Chairman

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa as substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced this in a statement on Tuesday. Adesina said the appointment is subjected to the confirmation of the Senate. “President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa as substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).” “In a letter to President of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, the President said he was acting in accordance with Paragraph 2(3) of Part1, CAP E1 of EFCC Act 2004. “Bawa, 40, is a trained EFCC investigator with vast experience in the investigation and prosecution of Advance Fee Fraud cases, official corruption, bank fraud, money laundering, and other economic crimes. “He has undergone several specialized trainings in different parts of the world, and was one of the pioneer EFCC Cadet Officers in 2005. Bawa holds a B.Sc degree in Economics, and Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy.” Details later..

BREAKING: Inflation hits 16.47%, highest since April 2017

The consumer price index , which measures the rate of increase in the price of goods and services , increased to 16. 47 per cent in January, the Punch reports. This is the highest point since April 2017. The report released by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that food inflation has also crossed the 20 per cent mark . Details later