July 2021 – Page 61 – Crime Facts

Post Date : July 13, 2021

South Africa Unrest Death Toll Rises To 32

A further 22 people have died during unrest raging in South Africa, a provincial official said on Tuesday, taking the national death toll from days of violence to 32. The toll in KwaZulu-Natal province now stands at 26, premier Sihle Zikalala told a news conference on Tuesday, a day after officials confirmed six deaths in Gauteng province. “These were people killed during stampedes as protesters ran riot,” he said, without specifying which parts of the province. President Cyril Ramaphosa Monday deployed troops to help police halt the violence and looting sparked by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma. Southeastern KwaZulu-Natal — Zuma’s home region — is the epicentre of the unrest. Protests erupted last week shortly after Zuma started serving a 15-month term for snubbing a probe into the corruption that stained his nine years in power. The violence has so far been confined to the two most populous provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, which houses the economic hub of Johannesburg. -AFP

Post Date : July 13, 2021

FCMB Appoints Yemisi Edun As Managing Director

The Board of Directors of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Group Plc has announced the appointment of Yemisi Edun as the Managing Director (MD) of FCMB Limited. This announcement is subsequent to the end of service of the bank’s former Managing Director, Adam Nuru. The Board had earlier reviewed media allegations made in late 2020 against the former MD and said it did not establish any contravention of its policies. Prior to this appointment, the new MD, she was the Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer of the bank. Edun previously served as the acting Managing Director. With a work experience spanning nearly 35 years, Edun holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife and a Master’s degree in International Accounting and Finance from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a Certified Financial Analyst (CFA). She is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers; an Associate Member of the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria; a Member of Information Systems Audit and Control, U.S.A; and a Certified Information Systems Auditor.

Post Date : July 13, 2021

64 Dead As Fire Guts Iraq COVID-19 Ward

A man looks at the ravaged coronavirus isolation ward of Al-Hussein hospital after a massive fire overnight, in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, on July 13, 2021. Asaad NIAZI / AFP Grief and anger gripped the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah on Tuesday after a fire swept through a Covid isolation unit killing 64 people and wounding dozens more. The devastating Monday evening blaze in the city’s Al-Hussein Hospital, which medics said was fuelled by the explosion of oxygen canisters, was the second such fire in Iraq in three months. “Sixty-four (bodies) were retrieved and 39 identified and handed over to their families,” a source at the provincial forensic science department told AFP. “Medical teams and relatives of victims are finding it difficult to identify the rest of the corpses,” the source said, adding that the death toll might rise with more bodies feared buried under the rubble. A hundred people were also wounded in the blaze. On Tuesday, as the first of the funerals were held, angry protesters gathered to vent their anger at provincial authorities they hold responsible for the deaths, an AFP correspondent said. In Al-Dawaya, east of Nasiriyah, a joint funeral was held for six members of one family who died in the inferno. In Al-Nasr, north of the city, a joint funeral was held with two brothers and two sisters, who were among the dead. Abbas Agil, a pensioner who attended the funeral in Al-Nasr, said the shouts of grieving mourners were filled with rage at provincial officials they accuse of corruption and neglect. ‘Confront the corrupt’ Hundreds of young protesters shut down private hospitals in Nasiriyah to pressure authorities to open the doors of a newly-built public hospital in the southern city. Last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Khademi inaugurated the brand new hospital, constructed by a Turkish firm. But the hospital and its more than 400 beds have yet to be opened to patients. Photos shared on social media showed graffiti spray-painted on the entrance of a private hospital with the words: “Closed – on the orders of the people”. In late 2019, at the height of the countrywide anti-government protests, Nasiriyah was referred to as the heart of the uprising. “The state must take the necessary measures… to confront the corrupt,” one young protester told AFP. He said those responsible must be held “accountable… in transparent investigations that show people that it (the state) is serious about putting an end to these tragedies.” In a Tuesday tweet, Iraqi President Barham Salih blamed the “catastrophe” at Al-Hussein Hospital on “persistent corruption and mismanagement that undervalues the lives of Iraqis”. Salih recalled an April fire at a Baghdad Covid-19 hospital that killed 82 people and injured 110. It too was sparked by the explosion of badly stored oxygen cylinders. The April fire triggered widespread anger, resulting in the suspension and subsequent resignation of then health minister Hassan al-Tamimi. Between January and March alone, the interior ministry recorded 7,000 fires. On Monday, a minor fire broke out at the health ministry’s headquarters in Baghdad, but it was quickly contained without any casualties. Iraq — whose oil-dependent economy is still recovering from decades of war and international sanctions — has recorded more than 1.4 million coronavirus cases and more than 17,000 deaths. Much of the country’s health infrastructure is dilapidated and investment in public services has been hamstrung by endemic corruption. -AFP

Post Date : July 13, 2021

Kalu refutes report of visit to British envoy to discuss IPOB matters

Sen. Orji Kalu, has refuted social media reports of him paying a private visit to the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs Catriona Laing to discuss issues relating to IPOB. Kalu, who is the Chief Whip of the Senate, made the clarifications on Tuesday in Abuja, in a statement issued by Mr Emeka Nwala, of Office of the Chief Whip. He explained that contrary to rumours, it was the British High Commissioner that visited him, at his Abuja residence on May 13. He said that he was accompanied by Political Counsellor, British High Commission, Mr Jonathan Bacon and Mr Stuart Gardner, the First Secretary on Political. Kalu called on individuals and groups to desist from spreading false claims about him. He explained that prior to the arrival of the British envoy, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige was in his house on a cordial visit. He said Ngige was not even aware that the British envoy was paying him a visit on that same day. ” It, therefore, baffles me that people could just be carelessly mischievous to state that I paid Her Excellency, Mrs Catriona Laing a courtesy visit with Dr Ngige,” Kalu said. “In the last few weeks, there has been an increasing campaign of calumny against my person. ” I have been attacked right, left and centre, It has been from one rumour and lies to another, propagated by those suffering from jealousy and pull him down syndrome. “This habit of sponsoring recycled false allegations against me is simply to discredit my goodwill on the good people of Nigeria,” he said. Kalu stressed that ” Putting the records straight, I neither visited nor discussed IPOB with British High Commissioner as reported.”(NAN)

Post Date : July 13, 2021

Senate okays five INEC commissioners, suspends Adam’s confirmation

The Senate after considering the report of its Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, on Tuesday, confirmed the appointment of five National Commissioners for the nation’s electoral umpire. The nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari who were confirmed were, Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (Katsina); Prof. Kunle Ajayi ( Ekiti); and Saidu Ahmad (Jigawa), Baba Bila (North East) and Abdullahi Zuru (North- West). Also, the Senate, following the recommendation of its panel, stepped down the confirmation of Professor Sani Adam from North Central because of the petitions against him. Details later…

Post Date : July 13, 2021

Police deny killing 4 persons in Uyo

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom has denied killing four persons in Oron Local Government Area of the state. The spokesman for the command, SP Odiko Macdon, made the denial in a statement he released to newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday. Macdon said, “The attention of the Police Command in Akwa Ibom has been drawn to some social media publications alleging that four persons were killed at Oron by the police. “For the records, the police were on a specified assignment to effect the arrest of a wanted suspect. “The said suspect raised an alarm which led to an attack on the officers and an attempt to snatch their rifles from them.’’ Macdon explained that the officers resisted the attempt but in the ensuing struggle, three persons were hurt and taken to the hospital. The police spokesman, however, said that one of them was confirmed dead while on admission. He also explained that during the struggle, the suspect escaped with handcuff.

Post Date : July 13, 2021

Chidinma Couldn’t Have Killed Him Alone, Says Cousin Of Super TV CEO

Uwaifo Ataga, a cousin to the late Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, says it is highly impossible for Chidimma Ojukwu, the estrange lover of the deceased, to have killed him alone. Ataga was found dead days after checking into an apartment with Chidinma in Lekki, Lagos. The suspect had fled the scene of the crime until she was arrested at her father’s house in Yaba, Lagos. When she was paraded by the police in June, the 300 level student of the University of Lagos had said she killed him while he was trying to force himself on her. She had sought forgiveness, saying she did not want to die. But the 21-year-old student of UNILAG suddenly made a U-turn, saying she knew nothing about his death. In an interview with Crime Fighter TV, the suspect said she left the apartment briefly and by the time she returned, she found him in a pool of blood. Her recent statement had caused confusion, with many saying there is a deliberate attempt to twist the narrative. But Ataga’s cousin told Crime Fighter TV that he was convinced that the murder was not carried out by Chidinma alone. ”I have had the regrettable privilege of seeing that dead body five times. My cousin’s hands were tied so badly that the rope entered his skin. The rope is right there as an exhibit with the police.” “That binding could not have been done by that lady alone, not possible, even if he was drugged. It is not possible because I saw the lady and I saw my cousin and I said this is not possible. “Apart form the fact that he was tied, there were multiple stabs on his body. So that story of two stabs and neck is not true. He was stabbed in other places. In fact, at Yaba mortuary, the attendants were so dramatic that they told us clearly of multiple stabs.”

Post Date : July 13, 2021

Senate To Amend JAMB Act, Wants Only Candidates Above 16 In University

The Senate Committee on Basic Education, on Tuesday, said it will pursue the amendment of the law establishing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board,( JAMB), to enable it to limit the age of candidates writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to 16 years and above. The committee noted that candidates below the age of 16 should not be admitted into the university, adding that age had a lot to do with the candidate’s learning ability. admitted into the university, adding that age had a lot to do with the candidate’s learning ability. Vice-Chairman of the committee, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, who stated this during the committee’s oversight visit to JAMB on Monday, said the committee had identified two major areas to be addressed in the proposed amendment for the exam body to function better. The senator, who stressed the importance of education to the development and future of Nigeria, said the sector deserved maximum attention as quality education could only be achieved through funding and commitment of teachers and students. While describing JAMB as a bridge between the secondary and the university, she said the agency was a necessary vehicle for the delivery of quality and standard education in Nigeria. “If the products from the secondary schools are not properly catered for to be assessed before turning them into the university, definitely you will have a problem,” she said. Eyakenyi also commended the board and the JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, for the smooth conduct of the 2021 UTME. The committee, however, queried JAMB for having almost 100 per cent performance of its 2020 budget and over N500 million devoted to staff welfare apart from their regular salaries. Responding, JAMB Registrar, Oloyede, told the committee that the board does not have powers to disqualify any candidate on the basis of age, stating that individual institutions can decide on who to admit as is the case with the University of Ibadan which does not admit candidates below 16 years. Oloyede explained that the budget of the board was only 75 per cent implemented as the government issued a directive that 25 per cent of funds budgeted should be returned to the federation account. He said staff of the board were properly incentivized to avoid the temptation of colluding with fraudsters to commit malpractice. On the issue of general services and security, he said a minimum of three Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, operatives were deployed to each centre during the 2021 UTME and paid a minimum of N45,000. While speaking on the N1.027 billion paid out to CBT centres in the 2020 budget, Oloyede explained that N600 was paid to each CBT Centre per candidate in addition to other incentives. Speaking on the issue of low cut off marks for education candidates, he said the issue of determining cut off marks was because of competition, adding that even if education cut off marks are reduced to 120, institutions will not be able to fill up to 50 per cent of their carrying capacity.

Post Date : July 13, 2021

Report: Bandits expose SIM-NIN linkage failure

Kidnap victims on Monday explained how bandits had been thwarting the Federal Government’s security regulations in the telecommunications sector. Residents of Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna states, who recounted their experiences in kidnappers’ dens, told our correspondents that they made the bandits’ telephone numbers available to security agents. They, however, lamented that nothing was done to apprehend the hoodlums, thus making a mess of the Federal Government’s directives on registration of telephone subscribers and the linkage of SIM with the National Identification Number. Under sections 19 and 20 of the Nigerian Communications Commission (Registration of Telephone Subscribers) Regulations, 2011, telecommunications firms are expected to register all subscribers. In 2015, the NCC directed all telecommunications firms to deactivate unregistered or partly registered SIMs. The regulation, according to government, is aimed at ensuring that all subscribers are traceable for security reasons. To further strengthen security in the country, the NCC last year directed the linkage of SIMs with the NIN. But victims, who spoke to The PUNCH, said with the way bandits were operating, the two regulations were of no use. In Zamfara State, a kidnap victim, Mallam Yusha,u Jangeme, said security agents in his village, Jangeme, did nothing to trace the telephone calls of the bandits who kidnapped him. Jangeme said bandits a few months ago kidnapped seven people in his village and he was contacted to bring ransom before they could be freed. According to him, when he got to the forest to give kidnappers N1.4m out of N3m they demanded, they detained him, saying he must bring the remaining N1.6m. He stated, “As soon as I got there, they received the money and refused to allow me to return home, saying that the remaining balance of N1.6m must be paid otherwise, they would not release me and the other seven people.” The victim stressed that the security agents didn’t render any assistance in tracing the telephone calls of the bandits despite the fact that operatives in his village (Jangeme) were aware of the situation. He stated, “The security agents posted to my village (Jangeme) knew what was happening, but they didn’t make any attempt to use the telephone number sent by the bandits who kidnapped us.” Source: PUNCH

Post Date : July 13, 2021

Flood washes away corpses in Nigerian cemetery

Flood triggered by days of heavy rains has washed away corpses at Low Cost Cemetery and destroyed buildings in Gashua, Yobe state. Alhaji Kaku Bulama-Bukar, Gashua Local Government Council Community Development Officer said the downpour began on July 9. The resulting flood exposed corpses in the cemetery. The Daily Trust said no fewer than 650 graves were compromised by the flood. Bulama-Bukar said: “We have experienced heavy rain accompanied by wild-wind in Gashua town since Friday. “As we speak, many buildings are destroyed and our cemetery is submerged. “Some graves are even exposed and some people had to be evacuated from their houses to save their lives.” The officer said the council was taking an inventory of the individuals and houses affected by the disaster. “As soon as we conclude assessing the damage and the people affected by it, we will present our report to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the council for action. “I can assure you that relief material and other forms of support will be provided to the affected persons,” he said.