Crime Facts

SPECIAL REPORT: Man unlawfully brutalizes widow’s two sons over broken vehicle glass in Anambra

…..As HURIDE petitions police Ibe Pascal Pascal Arogorn A devil-may-care man identified as Mr Onyekachi brutalized his widowed neighbour’s two sons at No. 28, Oseka Chukwurah, 3-3 Onitsha in Anambra state. Crimefacts.news exclusively gathered that ugly incident happened on April 08 Human Right Defender Nigeria’s executive director, Dede Uzor . A. Uzor who spoke with Cromefacts.news said the organization have been informed by Mrs. Favour Louis, a widow, of No. 28, Oseka Chukwurah, 3-3, Onitsha of the savage assault, threats, intimidation and unlawful detention meted against her and her two sons Divine Louis (9 years) and Delight Louis (7 years) minors by one Mr. Onyekachi, their neighbour of same address on whose behalf we petition your office. According to Dede Uzor, “We are instructed that on Tuesday evening, the 6th day of April, 2021, Mrs. Favour’s sons, Divine Louis and Delight Louis, were playing in their flat (1st floor) when one of their playing objects (a small piece of broken tile) mistakenly fell off and dropped on the glass of a hilux vehicle owned by the said Mr. Onyekachi parked at the compound, which left a minimal impact thereon, over which Mrs. Favour apologised to Mr. Onyekachi on her son’s behalf. “In a bizarre display of brazen intimidation and cruelty, Mr. Onyekachi called Mrs. Favour and her two sons on the morning of Wednesday, the 7th day of April, 2021 and, in the presence of Mrs. Favour, set upon her two sons and mercilessly assaulted them by kicking, slapping, and dealing fist blows on the childre thereby inflicting grievous bodily harm on them in the wake of the brutal assault for which huge sum of money have been expended in medical treatments for same. Attached are photograph pictures showing the scars evidencing the savage assault. “Not done, Mr. Onyekachi reached for and drew a machete with which he chased Divine Louis about ostensibly to deal machete cuts on the child! In fact, Divine Louis’ escape from the premeditated and unconscionable savagery unleashed on Mrs. Favour and her family by the said Mr. Onyekachi was, indeed, a miracle! Mr. Onyekachi equally boasted that he would deal ruthlessly with Mrs. Favour and her children using vigilante operatives, the army, and the police at his beck and call. “True to his boasts, Mr. Onyekachi on the evening of same day, 6th April, 2021procured some vigilante operatives attached to 3-3 vigilante office located at Odonwankita in Sea-View Estate headed by one Chiboy, whom he boasted of having in his pockets, and arrested, manacled and detained Mrs. Favour and her aforesaid sons for several hours. Worse still, Mr. Onyekachi also threatened further unlawful action against Mrs. Favour and her family if she fails to buy a brand new windscreen for his vehicle for him today, Friday, the 9th day of April, 2021. Speaking further, Dede Uzor said Mrs. Favour and her sons, didn’t committed any offence against Mr. Onyekachi to warrant the above unlawful acts as well as the egregious violation of their fundamental human rights meted against them by Mr. Onyekachi. “It is against the backdrop of the above that we pray your intervention to order a discreet investigation into the above with a view to stave off further violation of fundamental rights of Mrs. Favour and her two sons by Mr. Onyekachi as well as the arraignment and prosecution of anyone against whom a prima facie case is established by your investigation, “he concluded. When Crimefacts.news contracted the DPO for 3-3 Onitsha police division, CSP Bawa denied that the incident happened. He said that he hasn’t received such report.

BREAKING: Gunmen Attack Police Station In Abia

Gunmen have attacked a police station in Uzoakoli, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State. The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday. The spokesman of the Abi State Police Command, Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the attack to Channels Television via the telephone. He said an investigation has commenced to unravel the perpetrators of the attack, adding that no group has claimed responsibility yet. The Police Public Relations Officer said officers were in a meeting and promised to get more updates on the development. Although reports say the gunmen razed the station, overpowered the policemen on duty and released suspects in custody, the police authorities however did not confirm how true it is. It is also not clear if they invaded the police armoury.

Financial Autonomy: Security Agents Lock NASS Gate, Deny Protesting Lawyers Entry

There was mild drama on Monday morning as security officials locked the gate of the National Assembly and refused to allow members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to gain entrance. The lawyers are on a peaceful march in solidarity with judiciary workers who are protesting financial autonomy. They had earlier converged at the Court of Appeal gate before proceeding to the National Assembly in their numbers, to register their demands. Security officials upon sighting the lawyers in their vehicles locked up the two gates to National Assembly. “People like you can’t just be in the National Assembly…” one of the security officers told the lawyers. The NBA President had earlier on Friday directed its branch chairmen nationwide to lead “visits” to government houses in their states over the 36 governors’ alleged unwillingness to implement judiciary’s financial autonomy. A statement by the president of the association, Olumide Akpata, directed the branch chairmen to lead the “visits”, which are more like peaceful protests, on Monday, and on all other subsequent Mondays until the demand for the judiciary’s financial autonomy is met. It urged the branch leaders “to effectively mobilise their members” for the “visit to the governors at the state government houses” to press home the demand. JUSUN since April 6, 2021, left the courts in Nigeria under lock and key because of the non-implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary as the third arm of government. They commenced a nationwide strike today, April 19, 2021.

Tottenham sack Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho has been sacked as Tottenham coach after 17 months in charge of the London club. According to reports, Ryan Mason and Chris Powell will be in temporary charge until a new permanent manager is appointed. It was gathered that Tottenham have begun the process of appointing a new coach. Mourinho was sacked less than a week to the Carabao Cup final between Tottenham and Manchester City on Sunday. He replaced Mauricio Pochettino in the club in November 2019, signing a deal expected to end in 2023. Last season, Tottenham finished sixth as against their previous 14th position in the Premier League. The club also qualified for Europa League but were knocked out of the Champions League by RB Leipzig at the last-16 stage. This season, the club embarrassingly crashed out of Europa League at the last-16 stage following defeat to Dinamo Zagreb. Spurs are currently in the seventh position in the EPL table, needing five points to move to the Champions League spot. Details later…

Attacks: We may relocate Owerri correctional centre – Imo govt

Plans are afoot by the Imo State Government to relocate the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) following an attack on the facility. Some unknown gunmen had on April 5 attacked the correctional centre, freeing more than 1843 inmates. The gunmen also attacked the headquarters of the state’s police command. A former governor of the State, Rochas Okorocha, had built an edifice for both the police and correctional service along Port Harcourt road but the edifices have been overgrown by weeds following the inability of the two establishments to move into the new buildings. However, following the attack, a joint inspection of the new facilities along Port-Harcourt Road was carried out by a combined team of Imo government officials and officials of the NCoS. Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Enlightenment, Prince Eze Ugochukwu, said that the inspection was to give effect to Governor Hope Uzodimma’s resolve to relocate the NCoS from the chokehold of the city centre near Douglas House. Ugochukwu said that the delegation took a comprehensive look at the facilities and what could be done to put it in shape. He said: “After the joint inspection of the facilities, it was agreed that an appraisal team of a joint technical committee will be formed involving all the stakeholders to carry out a comprehensive evaluation and technical appraisal of what needs to be done to get the place ready for operation.” According to him, the government’s delegation was led by the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Lady Dr Love Ineh, and the Commissioner for Special Projects, Barrister Kingsley Ononuju, while the NCoS officials were led by a Controller of NCoS Mr Kingsley Njoku. He added that the team will present a comprehensive report to the governor for his immediate action.

PDP denies suspension of Kwankwaso, Babangida Aliyu

Contrary to the claims of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has been suspended, the party has debunked the claim saying that Senator Kwakwanso has not been suspended. It added that any claim of suspension by any individual or group, purporting to be representing any organ of the PDP at any level, is a mere fabrication and should be discountenanced. A statement issued by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday debunked the claim, saying a misleading document was being circulated by some mischievous individuals purporting that the former Kano State governor has been suspended from the party. It will be recalled that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso was allegedly suspended in a letter dated April 16 by a faction of Kano PDP in a query letter issued to the former Kano Central Senator signed by its Secretary, H. A. Tsanyawa. Ologbondiyan stressed that the provisions of the constitution of the PDP are very clear on the suspension of a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), if and when such occasion arises, and cautioned those behind the misleading claims to desist henceforth. “The PDP strongly cautions that it will not accept such reckless adventure by such misguided individuals, which its notes, is capable of destabilizing our party and bringing it to public disrepute,” said the statement. “Similarly, the PDP states that the former Niger State governor, Dr Babangida Aliyu, has not been suspended by the party as mischievously published in certain quarters. “Our party frowns at such fabrications aimed at subverting the stability of our party and triggering disagreements and suspicions within our ranks. “The PDP urges our leaders and teeming members in Kano and Niger states to be at alert, resist distractions and continue to work together as Nigerians earnestly look up to the PDP for solution and direction at this critical time.”

There Won’t Be Elections In 2023 If We Don’t Sort Out Security – Ex-DSS Official

A former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor has warned that the 2023 general elections would not hold over the worsening security situation in the country. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Ejiofor asked the Federal Government to urgently tackle insecurity head-on. “If we don’t get these things right before 2023 elections, if we don’t get these things sorted out the various security challenges in the various geopolitical zones, I can assure you that there won’t be elections,” he said. “There will be a crisis in this country, there will be anarchy. We need to sort out this thing before 2023. “Let us talk about this country before talking about elections. If we continue like this, there won’t be elections in 2023 because of series of agitations.” Amid the serial security challenges facing the country, Ejiofor backed several calls for restructuring, saying the move would help solve the various national issues. The security official also faulted a situation whereby states would converge at Abuja on a monthly basis to collect allocation, adding that if governments look inward, the states can survive without the periodic revenue. He also reacted to the controversy trailing the past extremist religious views of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami. Pantami had for the first time acknowledged his past views but noted that he has since renounced those radical assertions. The Minister said the past radical ideas he was championing were due to age, immaturity, and limited knowledge. This excuse however has not calmed the Twitter storm which is threatening to sweep him from office. But Ejiofor said there is no way the DSS wouldn’t have done a thorough check before his appointment as Minister in 2015. He recalled that the secret service had prompted the Senate via a report which barred the National Assembly from confirming the appointment of a former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu. “I am not the spokesperson of the SSS but I can tell you that it would be difficult for that information to have passed the State Security Service. “They must have it on record of his sympathy for Al-Qaeda and some of these terrorist organisations. If the State Security Service submits a report on an individual to government and government fails to act on it, who is to blame?” he questioned.

Zainab Ahmed: Governors wanted FG to borrow from CBN for March shortfall — but we said NO

The federal government turned down a request by state governors to borrow from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to augment the N50 billion federation account allocation committee (FAAC) shortfall in March. Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, said this while speaking on Good Morning Nigeria programme, a daily breakfast show on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), on Monday. Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state, had alleged that the federal government printed N60 billion to support March federal allocation to states. Godwin Emefiele, governor of CBN, had dismissed Obaseki’s claim describing it as “unfortunate and totally inappropriate.” Ahmed said that whenever there is reduction in federal allocation, the federal government takes money from some reserve accounts, but in the case of March allocation which fell by N50 billion, all state governments were asked to manage their resources. “It is a difficult time, I can explain to you how difficult it is not just for the federal government but also for the states, we see increasing reduction in our FAAC revenue,” she said. “In the month of March, we had a shortfall of FAAC that is almost about N50 billion and we did not have enough accrued in any of those accounts, the states to be honest wanted us to borrow from the Central Bank, but we resisted, we just told everybody to go back to live within what they had. “So it was very surprising for us when we heard a sitting governor saying that CBN has printed money for FAAC, that was very unfortunate because it is not true.”

Gunmen raze Anambra police zonal headquarter

Gunmen numbering about 20 in the early hours of Monday attacked the Zonal Police Headquarters, Zone13, Ukpo, Anambra State. They razed some offices and scores of vehicles during the attack. Reasons behind the attack could not be ascertained as of press time. A police officer, who pleaded anonymity, said the hoodlums were rebuffed from getting into the armoury department of the place. He said, “Our men prevented them from having ingress into our armoury. I can’t tell you the number of casualties now because we have scanty information about the development.” A bystander said there was heavy gunshots before the offices and vehicles were set ablaze. Efforts to reach the Zonal Police Police Public Relations Officer, Nkeiru Nwode, proved abortive as of press time. Source: The Punch Details later….

Report: 400 suspects arrested for funding Boko Haram, bandits

About 400 businessmen have been, reportedly, arrested for allegedly funding Boko Haram insurgents and bandits. For over a decade, there has not been a clear information on how Boko insurgents are being funded. According to Daily Trust, the businessmen were arrested in an operation being coordinated by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), and in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The operation was said to have been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020. The newspaper reported that an initial list of 957 suspects comprising bureau de change (BDC) operators, gold miners and sellers, and other businessmen is being acted upon. A source, however, told the newspaper that about 400 persons have been arrested in Kano, Borno, Abuja, Lagos, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kaduna and Zamfara. Some of the BDC operators arrested include Baba Usaini, Abubakar Yellow (Amfani), Yusuf Ali Yusuf (Babangida), Ibrahim Shani, Auwal Fagge, and Muhammad Lawan Sani, a gold dealer. Those arrested are reportedly being kept in military and DSS facilities in Abuja and other places. “Because this is economic warfare against the insurgents and other militant groups, the president, when approving the operation directed that the NFIU take the lead as the country’s financial intelligence powerhouse,” Daily Trust quoted a source to have said. The source added that “with the presidential approval, a task team was composed of personally selected senior officers who were deployed under the DIA to carry out the special assignment”. “The main person coordinating the funding ring for Boko Haram is in our custody, he and his closest ally in the business,” he said. Another source was quoted to have said about 19 BDCs owned by persons with “direct connection with Boko Haram” were uncovered, while over N300 billion was found to have been used in funding terrorism. Apart from one person in Borno and another in Zaria, Kaduna state, the source said over N50 billion were traced in funding to the armed groups. “A number of those arrested have divulged vital information including operational details of bandits and Boko Haram insurgents. But they are being kept to aid further arrests,” the source was quoted to have said. Family members of those arrested, the newspaper reported, have been calling on the government for their release. In 2020, TheCable had reported how six Nigerians were also jailed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for allegedly funding Boko Haram. Mohammed Yerima, army spokesperson, was not immediately available to comment on the development.