July 2021 – Page 51 – Crime Facts

Post Date : July 17, 2021

Groups Write NBC To Prohibit Smoking On Big Brother Naija

The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) and the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) have petitioned to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) asking the agency to prohibit smoking in the Big Brother Naija Season 6 which commences on July 18, 2021. CAPPA and NTCA in the letter titled Big Brother Naija Season 6: NBC Should Enforce Ban of Smoking in the Entertainment Sector, and addressed to Director General of the NBC, Mr. Babalola Shehu Ilelah, commended the agency for the prohibition of nudity on the show but also wants it to extend its radar to smoking which is glamourized on the show. A spokesman of CAPPA, Mr. Philip Jakpor, said on Friday in Abuja that the preponderance of smoking in the BBN has huge impression on the youths at a time the government is working assiduously to reduce smoking initiation. According to him, it is even worse at a period the country is battling with COVID -19 pandemic since it has been established that smokers have greater possibility of developing complications or even death if they contract the virus. The letter, jointly signed by CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, and NTCA Programme Manager, Chibuike Nwokorie, drew the NBC’s attention to the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019 that contain specific provisions that prohibit Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS). According to them, Sections 12(1) of the NTC Act defines tobacco advertising and promotion to include “any form of commercial communication, recommendation, or action with the aim, effect, or likely effect of promoting a tobacco product or tobacco use directly or indirectly. The section states that: “no person shall promote or advertise tobacco or tobacco products in any form.” They also referenced the World Health Organisation – Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) that Nigeria has signed and ratified, which requires Parties to implement a comprehensive ban on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship (TAPS). “The WHO states that movies and entertainment materials are the most veritable tools of the tobacco industry which has been instrumental in the transfer of ideas and promotion of alternative lifestyles to kids. The kids, generally impressionable, are enticed by what they see and are initiated into using tobacco products through advertising and subliminal promotion of smoking scenes in movies, music videos and product placements,” they said. While noting that the BBN Show on the Pay TV and DSTV platforms is one of the biggest shows on the Nigerian screen watched by millions of youths, they stressed that since inception, the show has been notorious for promoting smoking among housemates, with cigarettes conspicuously displayed and smoked recklessly in total disregard to the health of possible non-smoker housemates. They urged the NBC to therefore invoke the NTC-Act 2015 and the NTC Regulations 2019 and totally prohibit smoking in the BBN Season 6, pointing out that at this point in a global pandemic, no effort should be spared to protect the health of the citizenry.

Post Date : July 17, 2021

Ibarapa attack: We alerted govt but nothing was done -Igangan group

The Igangan Development Advocates has said it received an intelligence report that armed bandits were planning to attack Igangan town before or on the day of Eid-el-Kabir. The President of the group, Wale Oladokun, who said this in a statement on Saturday, said it alerted state offices in charge of security but “nothing was done to prevent the attack”. Oladokun spoke shortly after the coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress in Oyo State, Rotimi Olumo, told our correspondent that he also issued a statement on the attack and advised government to beef up security in Ibarapaland. The IDA said suspected Fulani gunmen dressed in Customs uniform invaded Igangan, Ayete and Igboora again on Friday night and killed some persons, including an officer of Amotekun. He, however, stated that there were plans already to twist what happened and blame residents of Ibarapa for attacking Customs officers. He said, “The IDA had earlier warned the relevant offices of the state government in charge of the security of the state of the impending attack when it categorically submitted that a reliable “intel” was received that there was going to be an attack on Igangan before the Ileya Festival ( Eid el Kabir). “It is now very obvious by the singular action of these armed bandits whom have unchecked access to government apparatuses such as Customs’ uniforms and sophisticated weapons that the people of Ibarapa have clearly become pawns in the hands of the kingly sects of the sacred cow’s extraction – the untouchable first class citizens. “Government should either face the fact of this submission by the IDA or admit total failure and incompetence than struggling to subject this recent bloody attack to propagandist facts’ distortion.” Oladokun explained that the group had to come out to puncture the alleged planned post-attack propaganda, which he said might come from the government that Customs officers on legal duty were attacked by Ibarapa people. “Having dressed like Customs officers, the story has been preplanned to be distorted right from the outset by these armed bandits suspected to be Fulani. “Government may wake up and claim that Customs officers on official duty have been attacked by residents of Igangan while discharging their duties,” he added.

Post Date : July 17, 2021

FG to feed 177, 640 pupils in Kogi public schools

The Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) under the Federal Government’s National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), has captured over 177,640 pupils to be fed by 2,937 cooks in Kogi State public schools. The Kogi State Focal Person of NSIP, Hon. Abdulkareem Suleiman Onyekehi told journalists shortly after monitoring some schools in Lokoja that the inspection was to ensure strict compliance by the cooks and relevant stakeholders for the appropriate feeding of the school pupils. The school feeding programme was monitored in the company of HGSFP’s Unit Head, Hajia Khadijat Karibo. ‌ Among the schools’ visited was Holy Trinity LGEA Primary School and St Luke LGEA Primary School, Lokoja, where the Head Mistress of the Holy Trinity School, Mrs Modupe Olurundare, expressed her delight to have received such personalities in the school. The headmistress commended the Caterers for the outstanding service delivered and praised the Focal Person and his team for the surprise visit to the school. Oluwadare further applauded the Management of NSIP for ensuring effective service delivery in the state. The headmistress thereafter pleaded for the inclusion of Nursery school pupils, saying they deserved equal right from the Federal Government. On her part, the Program Manager, Hajia Khadijat Karibo noted that the Federal Government was yet to include the nursery pupils in its budget and as such could not benefit from the feeding programme at the moment. The program targets primary 1-3 pupils with the hope of expansion to cover all pupils. The focal person and the programme manager also went round the classrooms to inspect and have a taste of the meals, where the pupils expressed their excitement for the gesture from the Federal and State Governments. The focal person, who doubles as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Projects, commended His Excellency for his unalloyed support for the program in all ramifications. ”We are grateful to our amiable and pragmatic Governor for taking the lead as far as the NSIP is concerned in Kogi State ”We thank His Excellency for the office infrastructures provided for NSIP, and for ensuring the enabling environment for the full implementations of all the packages under the NSIP,” Onyekehi said. The Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is aimed to deliver school feeding to public primary school pupils with a specific focus on increasing school enrolment and reducing malnutrition. The HGSFP is also designed to empowering community women as cooks and by supporting farmers that help stimulate economic growth. The HGSFP commenced in Kogi State on February 18, 2019, up to January 16, 2020, and was in progress before the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, which made the programme to be put on hold, and reintroduced on Thursday, July 15, 2021. The HGSFP had been on the pilot stage in Kogi and had engaged about 1,400 caterers to feed the current number of over 85,000 pupils. Additional caterers were being recruited in order to capture more public primary schools to accommodate more pupils who were yet to benefit from the scheme. Concerted efforts are in high gear to capture all public primary schools in Kogi State with a total of over 258,000 pupils as recently validated by the National Bureau of Statistics.

Post Date : July 17, 2021

Ortom hits FG over N6.5bn ranching fund to Katsina

Benue Governor Samuel Ortom has kicked against the N6.5bn allegedly approved for the establishment of ranching in Katsina. He said the sum out of which N5bn has been allegedly released to President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state was hypocritical and contradictory to the President’s support for open grazing. He demanded an apology from the Federal Government as well as approval of N100bn to Benue for ranching. Ortom was reacting to reports of the Federal Government’s approval of N6.5 billion to Katsina State for the establishment of ranches during a chat with reporters in Makurdi. He said: “It is hypocrisy for the federal government to approve money for ranching in a state and leave others out. And in fact, the Governor of (Katsina) state in his remarks said N5billion had already been remitted to their coffers. So, I begin to wonder, where are we headed? “If the President has approved N6.5billion for Katsina state, they should also approve N100billion for Benue state with an apology to me because we started it.” Ortom stated the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration has failed the nation, adding Nigerians under the APC have been suffering and smiling. “That man (Fela) spoke prophetically about what we are going through in Nigeria. Today, Nigerians are truly suffering and smiling. I feel so sad because we have failed our country but I pray God helps us. “Tell me where we are economically, security-wise, politically where is Nigeria? So, when I hear people say that they are decamping from one political party to the APC, one wonders what they are going there to do. “Even you the journalists who are talking to me, can you, in all honesty, say this government of APC and the presidency have impacted your lives? So we must not be afraid to speak out,” Ortom said.

Post Date : July 17, 2021

Zamfara governor warns deputy

The governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, on Saturday said he will not tolerate a disrespectful attitude from his deputy, Mahdi Aliyu. Mr Matawalle is angry over a recent political rally that the deputy governor held to reaffirm his loyalty to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They both came into government as candidates of PDP but Mr Matawalle and virtually all the other elected officials in the state, last month, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). PREMIUM TIMES reported earlier that the state House of Assembly initiated plans to sanction Mr Aliyu for holding the rally while killings by bandits are still going on in Zamfara. This has led to speculations that the lawmakers want to use the matter to impeach Mr Aliyu, who refused to follow them to the APC. The House has summoned Mr Aliyu to appear before it to explain why he held the rally without considering the security situation and “in disrespect of advice by the security authorities in the state”. authorities in the state”. Mr Matawalle also reprimanded the deputy governor when he commented on the summon in an interview with DW Hausa Service on Saturday. “I just read about the impeachment plan and called someone for clarification who told me that they would not accept it from the deputy governor to be organising rallies when people are being killed,” he said. “As governor of the state, I promised to work together with the deputy governor irrespective of our political affiliations. But I won’t tolerate a disrespectful attitude from him. promised to work together with the deputy governor irrespective of our political affiliations. But I won’t tolerate a disrespectful attitude from him. RelatedNews Anambra 2021: Reactions trail INEC list of governorship candidates Anambra Guber: Reactions trail INEC list excluding Soludo, PDP Why I stopped Amosun’s relocation of MAPOLY to Ipokia – Gov Abiodun Anambra Poll: INEC drops Soludo, Ozigbo, others “I won’t join issue with him but if he dares me, I will give him the treatment he deserves,” the governor said. “We all agreed to halt any political rally welcoming politicians into the state since we lost some of our supporters while welcoming us. “The deputy governor should have notified me of whatever he planned to do. Being of different political parties does not mean I am no longer his boss. Since the defection, he has stopped associating with me. TEXEM “I am the chief security officer of the state. I won’t tolerate any person trying to breach the security of the state,” the governor said. The deputy governor has not responded to the governor’s comments. His known phone numbers did not connect Saturday morning.

Post Date : July 17, 2021

Man arrested over alleged sexual assault of 5-year-old

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have arrested a 35-year-old man in Kebbi State on suspicion of defiling a five-year-old girl. Commandant of NSCDC in the state, Alhaji Umar Musa-Bala, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday that the fleeing suspect was apprehended on July 6. “Intelligence Department of the corps apprehended the suspect on June 13 after committing the crime at Shiyar Fara Area of Jega Local Government Area of the state, but he ran away. “He was later apprehended by our men on surveillance on July 6 and brought back to Birnin Kebbi,’’ he said. Musa-Bala also said that one Hussaini Abubakar, 22, of Kofar Masama area in Gwandu Local Government Area of the state was arrested on July 14 after he abducted a three-year-old girl at Badariya area in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area. He said the suspect was about taking his victim to an unknown destination when members of the community alerted operatives who arrested him. “A thorough investigation was carried out and it was confirmed beyond doubt that his intent was to abduct the girl to an unknown area,’’ he stressed. Musa- Bala also added that on July 15, one Aminu, 29 who specialised in stealing cell phones from plazas was arrested for stealing 15 mobile phones in Birnin Kebbi. “All the suspects will be taken to court for prosecution by Monday, July 19 as the investigations are all concluded,’’ he said. The commandant urged people of the state to continue to support the corps so as to end all forms of criminality including banditry and kidnapping. (NAN)

Post Date : July 17, 2021

Court closes Maina’s case

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the closure of the case of Abdulrasheed Maina, Chairman, defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT). Justice Okon Abang, who gave the order, also fixed Oct. 4 for parties in the case to adopt their final written addresses. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after an adoption of a final written address, a case is fixed for a judgment. Maina (1st defendant), who was arraigned before Justice Abang on Oct. 25, 2019, by the EFCC alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd (2nd defendant), pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N2 billion. He was then ordered to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Center. Justice Abang had, on Jan. 28, 2019, varied Miana’s bail conditions, following his inability to meet the bail terms granted him on Nov. 26, 2019, eight months after. Abang reduced Maina’s bail condition from N1 billion to N500 million with a surety in the like sum who must be a serving senator as opposed to the earlier order of producing two serving senators, among others. However, Maina was unable to get a senator as surety for his release until Sen. Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South, decided to do so. He jumped bail and was said to have fled to Republic of Niger around September 2020. The court, on Nov. 18, 2020, revoked his bail, ordered his arrest anywhere he was found. The court also ordered his trial to continue in absentia. His surety, Ndume, was remanded in Kuje Prison for about five days before Maina’s rearrest. Maina, who was produced in court on Dec. 4, 2020, was ordered to be remanded in prison custody pending the hearing and final determination of his matter. When the EFCC closed it case, on Dec. 9, 2020, after calling nine witnesses, Maina was ordered to open his defence. Although Maina had applied for a no-case submission, the court, on Dec. 21, 2020, foreclosed his right to make such application on the grounds that the ex-pension boss had had adequate time and facility to make the submission but failed to do so. Maina, who had only called two witnesses in his defence, had, on March 8, applied for a subpoena compelling the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami; the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele; former acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, among others, to appear in court and testify in the ongoing case against him. Besides, his first defence witness, Ngozika Ihuoma, while giving his evidence-in-chief, alleged that EFCC under Magu misappropriated 222 property worth N1.63 trillion recovered by the Maina-led PRTT. He alleged that Magu had sold most of the property to his friends and associates. Maina had only called the second witness, who was still on examination, before the court ordered that his case be closed. Earlier when the matter was called, an officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Kuje, Emmanuel Orlu, told the court that though Maina was not in court, the ex-pension reformed boss was in their vehicle outside the courtroom. Justice Abang had asked the officer why the defendant (Maina) was not produce in court. The judge directed the court registrar to pass a paper to the prison officer to write his name. “My lord, the defendant is in the car outside. He has problem with the both kneels,” Orlu said. The officer, who acknowledged the receipt of the hearing notice, prayed the court if his colleague, who is a medical personnel could speak on his behalf but the judge refused. The judge then recorded that Maina was absent in court, warning that proceeding is always in court and not outside the courtroom Maina’s Counsel, Abel Adaji, prayed the court for a short adjournment Adaji hinged his application on the claim that he was not served with the hearing notice in time. “We were just served the hearing notice today. Our witness is not even within jurisdiction, “We are humbly appealing for a very short date,” he had said. The judge, then, asked him how he got to know about the matter. “My lord, my learned brother, Anayo Adibe (who is also Maina lawyer) informed me this morning that the matter is slated for continuation of hearing this morning. “And I did not make enquiry as to how he got the information,” he told the court. But Counsel to the EFCC, Mohammed Abubakar, opposed the application for adjournment. “Despite the fact that hearing notice was not served on the defence formally according to counsel, the presence and announcement of appearance by learner counsel for the defendant is an admission against interest. “This is particularly considering the fact that my lord is on fiat and no longer reside in Abuja as this court is presently constituted. “Therefore, effort should be made to maximize the advantage presence of the court by making meaningful progress in the proceeding in the spirit of ACJA 2015. He also argued that the notice of hearing served on the Correctional Service was an order of the court that must be complied with to produce Maina in court. “It is a violation of the order of the court for Prison Service not to have produced him in court,” he said. Abubakar also reminded that the order of the court that proceeding should continue in Maina’s absence is still subsisting. “Therefore, while I condemn the failure of the prison authorities to produce the defendant in court, I still submit that the matter can proceed in his absence,” he insisted. Abang, who acknowledged that the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, issued him a fiat to conclude the matter on July 12, recalled that he directed that hearing notices be issued to parties and the correctional service authorities on July 13. “One officer of Prison Service called Ochenko received the letter on July 13,” Abang held. He said there was no medical certificate to back why Maina was not

Post Date : July 17, 2021

Ohanaeze condemns military killing of 3 Igbo traders at Ladipo market

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has condemned the killing of three Igbo persons recently at Ladipo Market in Lagos, describing the incident as “barbaric, cowardly and brutish” and called on the relevant authorities to fish out the culprits and bring them to book. Ohanaeze had in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, and made available to journalists, stated that as a report of the reported killing of 3 persons at Ladipo Market in Lagos broke, it had undertaken interviews of several persons to ascertain the accurate circumstance that led to the death of three Igbo traders by the Nigerian Military on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at the Aguiyi Ironsi International Trade Centre, in the Paramo area of Ladipo Market, Lagos State. Ohanaeze disclosed that the most auspicious account stated that “What happened was that a military man came with his orderly in the morning to change a spare part that he bought from a trader in the market since last week. He came to change it because it did not work, but the military man did not wear his uniform when he came into the market. When he was leaving, the union boys at the entrance of the gate told him to pay N200 for the gate pass. But because he refused to pay, it turned into a fight and the boys beat the military man and his orderly. So, he went back to his base, returned with three other boys and everywhere scattered as they started shooting”. ‌ Ohanaeze revealed that the NAF’s Director of Information and Public Relations (DOPRI), Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet told The Nation newspaper that “the service’s personnel attached to the Operation (OPs) MESA were in the market in response to a distress call. He said a call was put across by traders on a fight going on between a soldier of the Nigerian Army (NA) and a civilian debtor. Gabkwet said upon the receipt of the call, the team moved to the market but was attacked by angry traders who pelted stones at them.” In his own remarks, the Spokesman for Nigerian Army’s 81 Division, Major Olaniyi Osoba reportedly said “the matter was being investigated, assuring the army would unravel what actually happened”. Ohanaeze surmised that “From the foregoing few things are discernible. 1. The military officer entered the market without a military uniform but wanted to display a military bravado to the civilians. 2. The union boys were carrying out their normal civic duties characteristic of most markets and parking lots in Nigeria. 3. The military officer knew the market operatives were Igbos. 4. The military officer felt humiliated and invited his boys for a brutal reprisal. 5. Commodore Gabkwet admitted that they mobilised to site because there “was a fight between a soldier and a civilian” 6. The killing of the Igbo traders was premeditated”. The Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, therefore, condemned the incident “as most cruel, brutish, barbaric, cowardly and premeditated. This incident is unacceptable to the Igbo. Let it be known that this is the last straw that will break the camel’s back. This will surely serve as a lesson to anybody, military or civilian that trifles with the Igbo blood,” Ohanaeze warned. “The Igbo have paid the supreme prize with fortitude and equanimity, in various circumstances even beyond the degrees of their daily activities. Most of the time, the culprits or perpetrators are not identified; but in this case, the timid military officer that mobilized his boys for a massacre is known. This is the end of the road for the blood-thirsty officer that knows little or nothing about military professionalism and acceptable rules of engagement with the civilia”, the group charged. “It is very strange that the cruel bloodthirsty group among the soldiers have left the members of the Boko Haram, bandits, abductors and kidnappers to brutalize the very civilians they are paid to defend and protect”, the Igbo group lamented. “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo call on the Okaiwu Lagos, Igbo Lagos, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos and indeed all the Igbo associations and activists in Nigeria and in the Diaspora to leave no stone unturned in pursuing this matter to its logical conclusion; bearing in mind that the killing of three Igbo traders is a dot in an Igbo circle.” While sympathizing with “one of the decent detribalized governors in Nigeria, His Excellency Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, we call on the legendary distinctive leader to use this awful incident to reshape the civilian-military relations in Lagos State”, even as they also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that “the bad eggs in the Nigerian military are isolated and adequately punished as a deterrence to others.

Post Date : July 17, 2021

EndSARS: Again, Lagos Panel Gets Three-Month Extension

The tenure of the Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters has again been extended for another three months. The Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi stated this while hearing petitions on Friday. This means that the panel will now sit until October 19, a day before the October 20, 2020 shootings at the Lekki toll gate. Recall that the Lagos State judicial panel was inaugurated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on October 27, 2020. The panel was set up to last for a period of six-month in response to the government acceding to the five-for-five demands of the #EndSARS protesters with a mandate to look into abuses by security agencies and the now-disbanded SARS unit of the Nigeria police force and to make recommendations to the authorities for restitution to victims of abuses. The initial six months sitting of the Lagos panel expired on April 27, 2021, and the panel was granted a three-month tenure extension which is supposed to expire on Monday, July 19 but as of June 29, the panel had sat for 97 days and only heard 126 petitions out of the 235 petitions it received. Since the commencement of the hearing, 37 had been concluded while 109 petitions remained unheard necessitating the request for an extension of time. At Friday’s sitting, the panel heard eleven petitions. It reserved its decision in six petitions after counsel in the matters adopted their final written addresses.

Post Date : July 17, 2021

Bandits’ Leader Sacks Villages Over Father’s Arrest

Gunmen under the control of Turji, a notorious bandit leader in Zamfara, are on rampage, abducting villagers and travellers in Shinkafi Local Government Area of the state. The attacks, which started on Friday, are in reaction to the arrest of Turji’s father. Daily Trust gathered that about 150 persons have been taken hostage by the group in the last 24 hours. Sources said security agents picked up Turji’s father in Kano about two weeks ago and his whereabouts have remained unknown. Kurya, Keta, Kware, Badarawa, Marisuwa, Maberaya are among the villages that were sacked on Friday. Aside from sacking the villages, the bandits also reportedly abducted many travellers along Gusau-Sokoto Road. It was gathered that the bandits’ leader vowed that if his father would be stopped from performing the upcoming Sallah at home, he would also ensure that many other people spend the period without their families. “He was called on the phone during a meeting between the communities and security agents and he faulted the basis of his father’s arrest, saying he is the one that is the terrorist, with his location known, and saw no reason his father will be arrested,” a source who was at the meeting told Daily Trust. Another source, who spoke to our reporter, said Turji had sent a warning to “friendly villages” to vacate. “His men also went into Shinkafi town Friday night where they abducted five women,” the source said. A resident of Shinkafi, Mohammed Sani, told Daily Trust that a rocket propelled grenade fired during the attack destroyed parts of the emir’s palace. Zamfara police spokesperson, Mohammad Shehu, did not respond to calls for comments on this story. Culled from Daily Trust