Crime Facts

Facebook Twitter Youtube
Post Date : February 15, 2022

NBS: Telcos lost 12.3m internet subscribers in 2021

  Nigeria’s internet users dipped by 7.99 percent to 141.9 million — as telecoms operators lost 12.3 million data subscribers in 2021. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said this in its telecoms data released on Monday. TheCable had reported how restrictions on sales of SIM cards stifled the telecoms sector in 2021 — coupled with the ongoing national identification number (NIN) and SIM integration exercise. In 2020, the federal government directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to audit the subscriber registration database.   The directive instructed mobile network operators to suspend the sale, registration and activation of new SIM cards. The controversial policy denied new entrants into the country access to purchase mobile lines while existing users who want to retrieve their lost lines were not allowed access. It was lifted in April. According to NBS, a total of 141,971,560 subscribers were active on the internet in the fourth quarter of 2021, as against 154,301,195 in the same period of 2020, representing a 7.99 percent decrease in internet subscriptions year-on-year. “In Q4 2021, a total of 195,463,898 subscribers were active on voice as against 204,601,313 in Q4 2020. This represents a 4.47 percent decrease in voice subscriptions Year-on-Year. Quarter-on-Quarter growth was 2.42 percent,” the report reads. “A total of 141,971,560 subscribers were active on the internet as against 154,301,195 in Q4 2020. This represents a 7.99 percent decrease in internet subscriptions Year-on-Year. “Lagos State had the highest number of subscribers in terms of active voice per state in Q4 2021, followed by Kano State and Ogun State, while Bayelsa and Ebonyi states had the least number of subscribers. However, MTN had the highest share of subscriptions in Q2, Q3, and Q4 2021.”   Checks by TheCable Index showed that internet subscribers in the state dipped by 1.23 million in one year. In Katsina and Kano states, subscribers also dipped by 1.21 million and 1.15 million year-on-year, respectively. Zamfara (888,817), Sokoto (676,259) and Ogun state (574,727) also recorded declines. Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, had said the internet subscribers that deserted the telcos within one year are mostly criminals. “The over 12 million that have dropped are mostly criminals that cannot come out to regularise their numbers,” the minister had said.

Read more
Post Date : February 15, 2022

2023: Northern Youths Kick Against Atiku’s Presidential Ambition, Demand Power Shift To South

  A group of northern youths under the umbrella of the Coalition of Civil Society for Good Governance has backed the calls for the presidency to be zoned to the southern part of the country in 2023 for the interest of justice and equity. The group staged a peaceful protest in Kaduna state capital on Monday and asked the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to drop his presidential ambition on account of old age, noting that he does not have enough in the tank to put in the high level of physical and mental effort required to fix Nigeria. National Coordinator of the Coalition, Okpanachi Jacob, who addressed journalists, said Nigeria is confronted by myriads of challenges that require a young and proactive person with energy to cope with the rigours of the office of the President. He, however, urged the former Vice president to project national interest outside of his desire to become the President. National Coordinator of the Coalition, Okpanachi Jacob, speaks during a press conference in Kaduna on February 14, 2022. While stating that the south deserves to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor come 2023, the northern group urged the people of the region to focus on searching for the best candidate that can run for the presidency and promote unity in the country. “The presidency should go to younger candidates in tune with the realities within which we exist in today’s world and capable of making decisions at the pace required therefrom. The south deserves the Presidency of Nigeria come 2023 and we must narrow down our focus to searching for the best candidate from the region rather than allowing the public discourse space to be crowded by a cacophony of distractions that will end up robbing us of the very best of us,” Jacob said. “We for our part have promoted the candidature of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for years. But we humbly call on the former Vice President to do us a good turn in return for the many good turns we have done for him. We have sacrificed a lot pushing for democracy for the presidency of Atiku Abubakar all these years, even though we have been abandoned in a way by him after each election cycle. “At almost 80, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar does not have enough in the tank to put in the high level of physical and mental efforts required to fix Nigeria. We equally call on other aspirants who are old to leave the field allowing for younger and vibrant candidates to emerge and take the reins of power.”

Read more
Post Date : February 15, 2022

Anambra guber election petition tribunal begins sitting in Ilorin

  The Anambra Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Monday commenced sitting in Ilorin. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Balikisu Mohammed, has Justices Edem Akpan and H. O. Oyanjimi as members. After its formal inauguration at the Kwara Sharia Court of Appeal complex, the tribunal commenced the pre-hearing process in respect of the 13 petitions against the victory of PDP’s Charles Soludo, one of which was later withdrawn. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as the winner of the Nov. 6 and 9, 2021, gubernatorial election in Anambra. One of the remaining 12 cases is a petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress at the poll, Sen. Andy Uba. Uba and the APC are questioning the election on the ground that it was marred with irregularities that contravened the provisions of the Electoral Act. Justice Mohammed, however, granted the respondents time to file their responses and adjourned to Feb. 21, for hearing of preliminary applications.

Read more
Post Date : February 15, 2022

NANS threatens nationwide protest as ASUU declares fresh strike

  The National Association of Nigerian Students on Monday condemned the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities. NANS President, Asefon Sunday, in a statement, expressed “great disappointment” at the “comprehensive and total” four-week strike declared by ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, on Monday. Asefon slammed the Federal Government and the ASUU leadership for failure to resolve their issues amicably without resort to strike. He also said Nigerian students will stage a nationwide protest to demonstrate their dissatisfaction. The PUNCH had reported that Osodeke at a press conference on Monday said ASUU National Executive Council resolved to embark on the strike as the government has failed to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with the ASUU in December 2020. But in the statement titled, ‘ASUU Warning Strike: A Reckless Irresponsibility’, signed by the NANS President, Asefon said, “We have received the news of the decision of ASUU to embark on a month warning strike with great disappointment. We have thought ASUU and FG represented by top executives would allow reason to prevail, reached compromise, act responsibly in the interest of the education sector and indeed Nigeria, to do all that is required to responsibly avert this avoidable strike. “We are appalled by the impunity, recklessness, and irresponsibility the managers of this negotiation from both sides of the table has managed the fragile situation allowing it to degenerate to the level of industrial action. We are therefore compelled to believe that negotiators from both sides acted so irresponsibly because of their apathy of the interest and welfare of the major stakeholder of the sector(students) during the negotiations. “We are equally disappointed at the government for not doing everything possible to avert this embarrassment. We are also disappointed with the ASUU for reaching this conclusion irrespective of the implications to the students, academic calendar, research they claim to love, national security, and sanity. The Government and ASUU by this action sent a direct message to Nigerian students to also take positions comfortable for our side of the table irrespective of the implications. Let me say equivocally that we will respond in clear language, the language the oppressors understand. “I passionately appeal to all students leaders, NANS structures, and organs across the nation to mobilize to our national non-elective congress on the 17th of February where far-reaching decisions shall be made on our collective response to this blatant lack of patriotism, human feelings, and feelings for the collective future of education in Nigeria. “Our decisions shall be decisive, collective, and irreversible until the strike is called off. We shall fight this impunity and recklessness without any consideration other than an immediate end to this strike. “We, therefore, inform the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, to expect us in our numbers, and ASUU should be ready to return to the table to end this avoidable, reckless and repugnant strike. Let me assure the Minister of Labour that our protest in his office today is introductory and child play in what is yet to come. We are resolute more than before to ensure we hold government, especially the ministry of labour responsible for these incessant strike actions. “Further negotiations should as a matter of urgency have students representative as part of the parties to allow balance in decisions that are capable of impairing the lives of students and derailing their progress. The contentions and issues are triangular and must be treated so, going forward.” ASUU had embarked on a nine-month-long strike in 2020 and called it off after a lot of foot-dragging by both the government and the lecturers.

Read more
Post Date : February 15, 2022

Court Sentences Woman Who Brutalised 12-Yr-Old House-help With Razor To Four Years Imprisonment

  The 36-year-old mother of four, Mrs Opeyemi Omoyemi, who brutalised and inflicted bodily injuries on her 12-year-old houseboy, Joel Sunday, in Ondo State, for stealing meat has been sentenced to four and half years imprisonment with hard labour.   While she got three and a half years imprisonment for causing grievous harm, she also bagged one-year imprisonment on violence against another person among others. The sentence of Omoyemi was sequel to her arraignment before a Magistrate Court sitting in Akure on a five-count charge. The defendant was said to have used stick and razor blade to inflict multiple injuries on the body of the househelp who she accused of stealing pieces of meat from the pot of soup. She was said to have committed the offence on February 6, 2022, at her residence located at Idi mango Adewale axis of Ondo road, Akure, the state capital. During the trial, the Prosecution Counsel, ASP Emmanuel Tanimowo applied for the withdrawal of count four charge which was granted by the Magistrate, Mrs O.A Edwin. However, the Defense Counsel, Folusho Kayode, prayed the court to be lenient with Omoyemi while passing the sentence, saying she was a first time offender, while he also informed the court that Omoyemi, a widow and mother of four little children had been the one responsible for the welfare of the victim. Kayode said: “The court should be lenient in passing sentence on the defendant. The prayer for leniency is that the defendant has been the one solely responsible for the wellbeing and education of the 12-year-old Sunday. She has been doing this dutifully for the past four years since the death of her husband. “The defendant has kids and they have been crying since the incident happened as they could not see their mother. The defendant is a first offender and has never been arrested for any inhuman behavior. The court should graciously pass the sentence.” In her judgement, Magistrate O. A.Edwin, said the sentence will run concurrently, and said “I know that the defendant is a first time offender but the facts of the offences are not only an abuse on the victim but an offence against public policy. “The sentence must therefore want to deter others and also ensure that justice is done to the victim.” The magistrate also adjourned the case to April 13, 2022 for trial in count three of the charge bothering on trafficking in persons which the defendant had pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, the wife of Ondo State governor, Mrs. Betty Akeredolu, has hailed the judiciary over the judgement, with a pledge to continue to throw her weight behind the advocacy for the protection of the rights of women and children. Mrs Akeredolu who said the judgement will serve as deterrent to others described the action of the convicted woman as criminal and highly unacceptable, while she called on parents to be vigilant and monitor the activities of their children to prevent abuses by those entrusted to care for them. “It is dangerous to leave your child with people you can’t trust, be more vigilant and report any case of molestation to relevant agencies and let’s work together to stamp out this and protect our children,” she said. Mrs Akeredolu promised to discuss with government agencies and individuals who are ready to partner with the government to support these children to have access to education, shelter and good food, saying they are the future of tomorrow. While speaking, the father of victim, Danladi Yahi from Kebbi State, explained that he released his two children to a pastor because of the Boko Haram insurgency in Kebbi State which affected his children education. “I released them because I want them to be educated and not to get killed by the Boko Haram. Schools had been closed down and I don’t want them to be uneducated like me, so I sent them down to an area which is peaceful. “But I was surprised and disappointed to learn about the development. The woman who promised to always allow them to come for Christmas holiday seized to pick our calls and never heard from her again until the incident happened. “The police called us in Kebbi to inform us and we rushed down to meet the children who are with the police. It is disheartening that what we run from in the North is what they met in the South. But I must appreciate the judiciary and the state government,” he said. Also speaking shortly after the court proceeding, Catherine Ogunjebi, who held brief for International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ondo State chapter, said: “We are grateful that justice has been served to the victim and for the society. We are also grateful for the time that the defendant did not waste. She pleaded guilty and it was faster for us to have arrived at this conclusion. “We are equally impressed because it is not a long sentence. She will be reunited with her children in due course as we know she also has children who are now in the custody of Women Affairs at the Children Home for proper care. “It is wrong for her to have had two children, 12 years and 10 years in her custody for the purpose of domestic help. This is against the Child Right Law of Ondo State and Child Right Act 2003 of Nigeria.”

Read more
Post Date : February 15, 2022

Femi Fani-Kayode Ex Wife, Precious Arraigned For Alleged Attempted Murder

  Ex-Wife to Femi Fani-Kayode, Precious Chikwendu was in Monday arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court of Abuja for attempted murder. Ms Chikwendu was alleged to have attempted to kill the former husband with a kitchen knife some time in November 2018. In a case marked FHCABJ/CR/1/2022 filed by the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), against Ms Chikwendu and three others namely; Emmanuel Anakan, Prisca Chikwendu, and Osakwe Azubuike as 1st, 3rd, and 4th defendants respectively, the accused persons were was said to have attempted to stab Fani-Kayode. The charge dated January 7, 2022, alleged that Ms previous and other accused persons also committed offences bordering on cybercrime, intimidation to kill Fani-Kayode by use of the Internet, threat to kill one Lauretta in order to cause her to leave her relationship with Fani-Kayode. Ms. Precious was also accused of using her Facebook page to defame and harass her ex husband one of which she called him “Mr Short fuse” on the 7th of December, 2021. READ ALSO Released Boko Haram Commander back to the war front, leads deadly attacks She was also accused of publishing false stories about her former husband, “by referring to him as a person who is sexually incapacitated and that he is not the biological father of the four children she had for him as a wife”. The defendants how ever pleaded not guilty to the charges. Alex Ejesieme, SAN, counsel to the ex-wife (2nd defendant), urged the court to admit the defendants to bail based on the earlier administrative bail granted them by the police. “Did you give them administrative bail?” the judge asked. “Yes, we did my lord, with two sureties,” Ijagbemi responded. Justice Ekwo, who fixed April 27, April 28 and April 29 for trial commencement, ordered the defendants to continue on the terms of administrative bail earlier granted. He directed the prosecution to submit all particulars of the defendants to the court registrar.

Read more
Post Date : February 15, 2022

Fuel scarcity may last for another two weeks ― IPMAN

  As the acute shortage of petrol ravaging the country entered its second week, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has informed the situation may last for another two weeks. IPMAN Public Relations Officer, Chief Chinedu Ukadike who spoke to Vanguard on the situation of the fuel scarcity in a telephone chat said the Federal Government was yet to improve supply.   While urging Nigerians to be patient, he observed that many motorists have engaged in racketeering where they “fill up their tanks, go to sell to black marketers and return to the queues. I want to advise our people to stop patronizing black marketers, this will help also in solving the problem”, he added. IPMAN disclosed that no inland depot has received clean petrol that would boost supply to filling stations. In Abuja, there was no sign of let up in the shortage petrol as fewer stations were opened to motorists with black marketers selling at N400 per litre. Chief Ukadike said the challenges facing the downstream sector were enormous urging the government to begin the process of compensating marketers who have lost a lot of money during the period. He explained: “Nothing much has changed in the last few days, the issue is that up till now we have not seen the intervention of the NNPC based on evacuating these products (bad fuel) from some of our stations. Some marketers are trying to see if they can get new products and blend it to see if it can move.   “Marketers capitals have been tied down and the bad product is also occupying their storage tank and that is why you are seeing some skeletal services. Some also have their tanks quarantined, so it is not easy. “We have been expecting products in the inland depots like the Port Harcourt Refinery depot but up till now, no product has been received. These things happen. Once there is a break in the supply chain it will take some time to fix. “Forget what people are saying it will take one two to three weeks to fill in the gaps. It is talking about evacuating and replacing, it is not just about the shortage, it is also about evacuating and replacing”. He noted that while Port Harcourt where his based has not witnessed the acute shortage being experienced in many parts of the country, he said most of the marketers who have placed orders have not received supply. Chief Ukadike also disclosed that private depots have also increased their price to N163 per litre, stressing that it was impossible for marketers to sell at N165 per litre. He however urged the NNPC Limited to supply independent marketers with products to help ease the shortage across the country.

Read more
Post Date : February 15, 2022

ASUU Declares Pantami’s Professorship Illegal

  The Academic Staff Union of Universities has faulted the promotion of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, as a professor. The union after its National Executive Council meeting declared the promotion as “illegal”. This was declared at a press conference addressed by the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, on Monday. He said, “You cannot be a minister and a lecturer in a university. It is an encouragement of illegality. “Pantami has to quit as a minister and be tried for doing double jobs within the same federal system. He is not qualified. Pantami should not be treated as a professor.” In September 2021, Pantami, alongside seven academics were elevated by the council of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri to the position of professorship at the council’s 186th meeting. The minister’s elevation has generated controversy, with many faulting FUTO on the promotion of the minister, who was not teaching in the university and whose highest academic attainment was reportedly a lecturer before he ventured into politics.

Read more
Post Date : February 15, 2022

Teacher Responsible For Flogging 19-month-old Pupil To Death Arrested, School Shutdown

  The Delta State Police Command has arrested a teacher of Arise Nursery and Primary School, Asaba, Delta State, for reportedly flogging a 19-month-old child to death. The deceased pupil, simply identified as Obinna, was allegedly given 31 strokes of the cane by the teacher for playing with water and getting wet. The pupil reportedly got into a coma after the punishment from the teacher. Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Bright Edafe, confirming the incident, said the matter is under investigation and the teacher has been arrested. He said: “We have the suspect who is the son of the owner of the school in our custody. He is a teacher in the school. “But I wonder how a teacher would flog a pupil 31 strokes of the cane. I am only hearing from the media that it was 31 strokes of the cane. “The question is was anybody there to count the strokes while the flogging was on?”

Read more
Post Date : February 15, 2022

Petrol price hits record high at N808 per litre in UK

  Petrol price in the UK has reached a record high of 148.02p (N808.8) per litre, adding pressure on the pockets of British residents. Diesel price also rose to 151.57p (N830) a litre — using CBN’s official exchange rate at N416.91/$1. AA, a British motoring organisation, said this on Sunday, as prices rose above the previous record of 147.72p per litre. “The cost of living crisis has been ratcheted up yet another notch,” BBC quoted Luke Bosdet of the AA, as saying. Simon Williams, the RAC’s fuel spokesman, told BBC that the price of filling a 55-litre family car was now an “eye-watering” £81.41 (about N45,800). In Nigeria, 55-litre of petrol costs barely N9,000 (about £16) as the government continues to pay costly subsidies for citizens to buy gasoline below the international price. “With the oil price teetering on the brink of $100 (N41,590) a barrel and retailers keen to pass on the increase in wholesale fuel quickly, new records could now be set on a daily basis in the coming weeks,” Williams said. Fuel prices at the pump are driven largely by the wholesale price of energy which has shot up due to tensions over whether Russia will invade Ukraine. On Monday, oil prices steady above $90 a barrel. If the situation in Ukraine deteriorates, oil and gas supplies from Russia to Europe may be interrupted, pushing up wholesale prices further. Experts say the supply of oil and gas has already struggled to keep up with growing demand as the global economy picked up in recent months as Covid restrictions eased. “On a positive note, retailer margins—which were the reason drivers paid overly high prices in December and January—have now returned to more normal levels of around 7p (N39.54) a litre,” Williams added. He said the big four supermarkets, which dominate fuel sales, should “play fair” with drivers by keeping their profit margins low.

Read more
Search

Account

Cart

  • Main menu