Crime Facts

Officer assaulting civilian withdrawn, under investigation – Customs

  The Nigeria Customs Service has said that it has withdrawn the officer and the team from the Federal Operations Unit, Zone C, of the service caught assaulting a civilian last week. The service also added that it had commenced an investigation into the matter. In a statement on Monday, the National Public Relations Officer, NCS, Timi Bomodi, said that officers were trained to carry out duties with dignity and respect. Bomodi reiterated that where officers failed to carry out their duties as assigned, adequate sanctions would be applied to enforce discipline. The statement reads in parts, “The attention of the Nigeria Customs Service has been drawn to a video making the rounds on social media. In it, one of our officers was recorded assaulting an unarmed civilian. This action took place on the Benin – Agbor expressway on Saturday the 7th of May 2022 at about 5.00 pm” It was gathered that an officer attached to Zone C, Owerri of the service was seen in a video assaulting a civilian along Benin-Agbor expressway last weekend. According to Bomodi, This officer and other members of that team from FOU Zone ‘C’ have since been withdrawn from patrol duties and are currently under administrative investigation at the NCS Zonal Headquarters Zone ‘C’ Port Harcourt. Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service have been trained to carry out their duties with dignity and respect, and are expected to display decorum in all their conduct at all times. Where they fail to carry out their brief as assigned, appropriate sanctions are applied to enforce discipline. The NCS would like to reassure the general public of its commitment to the welfare and safety of all citizens and frowns seriously at any act by its personnel capable of misrepresenting its corporate image” He also said that the service is doing everything possible to address the issue. “We ask that all law-abiding persons go about their activities without fear of intimidation or harassment as we work assiduously to bring closure to this unwholesome incident” he concluded.

2023 is about security, future of our children — Obi

  The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, and former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, has said the 2023 general elections is about the security of the nation and the future of the children. Obi spoke yesterday in Jos when he addressed Plateau delegates ahead of the party primaries.   According to him, Nigeria must get it right in 2023 if it would regain its position among the comity of nations. He told the delegates, and indeed Nigerians, not to sacrifice the future of their children for immediate gains. “You won’t be delegates forever; your children will suffer it if you do not choose the right leader. If they bring money, collect it but when you go to vote, first place the picture of your children at heart, not my picture, neither your picture because that is the future of your children. They will have a better and secure future if the right person is elected the next president,” he said. Obi said that he was offering himself to vie for the number one job because he had the capacity, and had proven beyond doubt that he could lead the country, saying “We should move from a nation of consumption to a nation of production. This is necessary because you can’t have revenue when everyone is leaving in poverty. You need to improve the people’s standard of living for the revenue to grow.” Obi said 60 per cent of the more than 200 million Nigerians are youths, who would be very productive if encouraged. Also speaking in Jalingo, Taraba State, Obi told Nigerians to think about the future of their children and unborn generations in deciding the crop of politicians to vote into power in 2023, saying next year’s election is a time to move the nation forward and not further plunge it into hardship. Obi who was in the state to meet with delegates of the party ahead of the PDP’s presidential primary election, lamented that the borrowing index of the country has reached an alarming stage with nothing to show for it. He urged Nigerians to think of future generations by becoming proactive in the 2023 elections. According to him, “When you wake up every morning, all you hear is a killing. We now have more people living in poverty, and the highest number of unemployed youth. People graduate from school with no jobs and now depend on their parents. Another worrisome thing is that we now borrow to consume which should not be so.” Obi further told the delegates that he has the capacity to transform the country if given the mandate of the PDP to contest the presidential election. Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, who also spoke commended the presidential aspirant for his foresight and wished him well in his aspiration.

How convicted fraudsters, drug dealers got presidential pardon (full list)

  TheCable has obtained a copy of the 162 convicts recommended for pardon by the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative Of Mercy. The pardon had generated controversy because of the inclusion of Joshua Dariye, former governor of Plateau state, and Jolly Nyame, former governor of Taraba, who had both been convicted for criminal breach of trust relating to corruption charges. They were both said to be suffering from “life-threatening ailment” and “old age” and a presidential spokesman said it would have been “wicked” of President Muhammadu Buhari not to pardon them. Buhari had used the jailing of those governors as evidence of his anti-corruption war and his critics believe the pardon unravelled his achievement. Francis Atuche, former managing director of Bank PHB, and two others were on the list that was presented by Buhari to the Council of State on April 17 but the three did not make the final cut as 159 were pardoned. Atuche was said to have “life-threatening ill health” in the recommendation of the committee but the Council of State advised the president against granting him a pardon. Some senior officials of the ministry of justice have been quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over suspicion of corruption in the compilation of the presidential pardon list, TheCable previously reported. ‘PARDONED TO BE USEFUL’ On the list are scores of people convicted for fraud, money laundering, drug trafficking, forgery and stealing. A common reason advanced for their pardon was “life-threatening ailment” and “old age”. John Joshua Uloh, a 58-year-old prisoner convicted for defrauding a woman under the pretext of selling land to her in Asokoro, Abuja, was recommended for pardon based on “old age”. Sa’Adu Alanamu, a former nominee to the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) who was convicted for a N182 million fraud, was asked to be pardoned for “being beneficial to the society”. A 39-year-old woman, Halima Kachalla, who had been convicted for forgery and stealing, was considered “useful to the medical profession” because she is a medical doctor. Some of the recommendations, however, covered compassionate cases for those considered to be at the lower ladder of society. Unoka James, sentenced to six years for stealing and forgery, was recommended for pardon for having learnt “tailoring” in prison while 34-year-old Adamu Yusuf was said to have learnt “barbing”. Two inmates had already served 12 years imprisonment in Thailand before being convicted again on their return to Nigeria in what could be considered “double jeopardy” — being punished twice for the same offence. Former coup plotters made the clemency list as well as some military officers who were dismissed for mutiny. In all, 26 inmates, 85 surviving ex-convicts and one deceased ex-convict were recommended for presidential pardon. For presidential clemency, 27 inmates were on the list, as well as 13 others whose terms of imprisonment were to be reduced. For those on death row, 10 of them were to be commuted to life imprisonment.

Gunmen Abduct Bayelsa Monarch, 2 Others

  Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a traditional ruler, a 50 year-old woman and a middle-aged man at Otuabula community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. According to the community sources, the incident happened at about 1am on Monday, when heavily armed men, numbering about 20, invaded the community and abducted the victims. They identified those abducted as the deputy paramount ruler of the community, Chief Otia Isomom, Mrs. Lucy Osain and Mr. Friday Abah. They were said to be moved into a waiting speedboat. A resident of the community, who witnessed the incident, was stabbed with dagger but luckily escaped from being kidnapped by the gunmen. Police spokesman in Bayelsa State, SP Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the incident, said that police was intensifying efforts to rescue the victims.

2023 PRESIDENCY: Why APC, PDP should cede their tickets to S/East – Uzodimma

  GOVERNOR of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has urged the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to cede their 2023 presidential tickets to the South-East to ensure justice and equity in the country. Uzodimma, who noted that the country took a similar step in 1999 to assuage the South-West, which was aggrieved over the June 12, 1993 annulled presidential poll won by late Chief MKO Abiola, said the South-East is in a similar state now and many Nigerians know. The governor spoke to some journalists in Lagos, on Monday, a day after receiving The Sun Newspapers 2021 Governor of the year award. Asked his take on the clamour for zoning of the presidency to the South-East in 2023, the governor said: “We practise partisan democracy in Nigeria, and you get to power through political parties. “As of now, no party has selected its presidential candidate. What is utmost in the mind of every political party is to win election. “No party will throw the opportunity away. The South-East needs the presidency but we can’t do it alone. We need the support of other zones. “In 1999, the two political parties, the PDP, and All Peoples Party/Alliance for Democracy APP/AD through internal mechanism chose their candidates from the South-West so that head or tail the winner of the presidential election would come from the South-West. “It was done to assuage the zone. “The situation is repeating itself and many Nigerians are in support of the presidency going to the South-East. “Let the two major political parties — APC and PDP — pick their candidates from the South-East so that justice will be seen to have been done.”

Imo attack: Gunmen killed army couple in front of bride’s mum, says relative

  A family member has narrated the circumstances surrounding the killing of Gloria Matthew and Linus Audu, an army couple who were reportedly beheaded in Imo state. TheCable had earlier reported that Gloria and Audu were said to be on their way to “fulfil the traditional rites for their wedding” when they were attacked. Speaking to the BBC disinformation unit, the family member said the duo were attacked by four armed persons at an area not far from Banana junction in Orlu, Imo state. “It happened around 3pm. They were travelling to Nkwerre from Lagos,” BBC quoted the family source as saying. The wedding was said to have been fixed for May 2 at Nkwerre LGA of Imo state. “Audu is from southern Kaduna but he lives in Makurdi. Gloria is based in Sokoto. They arrived in Lagos from Kaduna on the 26th of April to pick up Gloria’s mum so that they can travel together for the traditional marriage rites,” the source said. The source wasn’t, however, sure if the attack happened on April 30 or May 1, but added that the photograph of Gloria’s corpse was posted on her WhatsApp status on May 1. “They killed Linus’ relatives that day. The leader of the armed men ordered them (gunmen) to shoot. They killed them (the couple) in front of Gloria’s 10-year-old daughter and her mum,” the source said. The army had also confirmed the killing of the couple, adding that efforts are on to apprehend the perpetrators. President Muhammadu Buhari had, in a statement issued on May 4, described the beheading of the soldiers as “barbaric”. Describing the incident as “unacceptable”, Buhari added that security agencies have been directed to “do their utmost in apprehending the perpetrators of these barbaric acts and bring them to justice”.

Dagogo accuses Rivers police boss of bias

  The embattled member of the House of Representatives, Farah Dagogo, has accused the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, of bias following his claims on circumstances that led to his arrest and detention. Eboka, on a television programme, narrated the circumstances that led to Dagogo’s detention. He said: “On April 27, during screening for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for House of Assembly and House of Representatives, about 30 boys stormed the venue with weapons like daggers, cutlass, axes, and they were singing cult songs. Some of them were saying no Farah, no screening, no Farah, no PDP. “They were shooting indiscriminately. Our men on ground had to chase them and about 15 were arrested. Their behaviour that day and the fact that they were mentioning Farah made the governor declare him wanted. “I am not aware of their (Wike and Farah) political differences. We are not here for politics. We are fighting crime and criminality. We cannot watch people come to a gathering and start shooting indiscriminately, disrupting the process. “The following day, Farah came to the same venue; he was identified and arrested based on what happened the previous day. We invited him, told him what happened, but he refused to make any statement. He also refused to call his lawyer. We then prepared charges and took him to court the following day.” But Dagogo’s media aide, Ibrahim Lawal, countered Eboka’s account, insisting there was no incident by any member of the public on April 27 as the screening went smoothly and was concluded the next day. Telegram Lawal said the sporadic gunshots witnessed on that day were fired by the policemen who were harassing and molesting party faithful who came to support the aspirants. He said: “Dr. Farah Dagogo is a governorship aspirant and was never at the venue for the screening of National and State Assembly aspirants. The 15 persons the CP claimed were arrested as cultists have since been interrogated and charged to court, our lawyers are privy to their statements. “None of them mentioned Dagogo as the one who brought them to the secretariat. They explained their presence to the police in their statements that they are party faithful, who went there to support their aspirants. Again, Farah Dagogo is not an aspirant for those positions.”” Lawal also said Eboka didn’t invite Dagogo, and challenged him to present proof of the invitation. He said Eboka did not disclose the fact that he had a telephone conversation with Dagogo few minutes before he went to the screening venue, and that he told the lawmaker that Governor Nyesom Wike had no powers to declare him wanted. The media aide asked Eboka to provide evidence to justify his claims that the 30 boys stormed the venue with weapons. He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to begin investigation into the circumstances that led to Dagogo’s arrest. “Dr. Dagogo’s health condition is now perilous. A request from the personal physician to the lawmaker for a referral to another medical facility was thwarted by the the Rivers State government through its Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. Dr. Dagogo is a responsible lawmaker and he is entitled to adequate medical care,” he added.

Otobo renews battle with Apostle Suleman, releases amorous pics

  Canada-based singer, Stephanie Otobo, has threatened to release videos proving her old claim of an alleged sexual relationship with General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Apostle Johnson Suleman. Otobo, in a series of tweet on Monday, shared screenshots of video chats she claimed were of herself and the cleric. Otobo repeated old claims of her alleged amorous relationship with the preacher. She accused the cleric of poisoning and trying to kill her, adding that he used ‘juju’ against her. Otobo and Suleman were first in the news in 2017 when the singer sued the preacher for assault and sexual harassment. One of the screenshots she shared on her Twitter handle, showed a man holding his manhood. Otobo claimed that the person was Suleman. Another screenshot showed Otobo exposing her breasts while on an alleged video call with Suleman. Otobo said: “If these screenshots were fake, how did I get his pics that aren’t public in the first place and how come I’m the first to release this kind of pics of him? He has changed his hairstyle twice since I came out to speak up with receipts. He has done a lot to appear different. “If the d*ck pic isn’t his, what is he gonna say about the scar on his left thigh? His wife can’t deny that scar. How did I know he has a scar on his left thigh if we didn’t have intimacy? Lol. If he’s denying it, he should open up his thigh let’s see. His nails too say it all.” She alleged that the cleric tried to stop her from progressing, and almost ended her life. “Some people kept on wondering why I came out exposing Apostle Johnson Suleman, and why I haven’t let go ever since. The truth is that I never planned to. He pushed me to the wall and the only way I could fight back was to cry out and make everything known. The devil smiles. Otobo renews battle with Apostle Suleman, releases amorous pics By Chinyere Okoroafor On May 9, 2022 Share Canada-based singer, Stephanie Otobo, has threatened to release videos proving her old claim of an alleged sexual relationship with General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Apostle Johnson Suleman. Otobo, in a series of tweet on Monday, shared screenshots of video chats she claimed were of herself and the cleric. Otobo repeated old claims of her alleged amorous relationship with the preacher. She accused the cleric of poisoning and trying to kill her, adding that he used ‘juju’ against her. by TaboolaSponsored LinksYou May Like No More Expensive Roofing. New Method Means Low Cost for Smart Consumers Roof Repair Goodbye Expensive Roofing (Do This Instead) Roof Installation Services Otobo and Suleman were first in the news in 2017 when the singer sued the preacher for assault and sexual harassment. One of the screenshots she shared on her Twitter handle, showed a man holding his manhood. Otobo claimed that the person was Suleman. Another screenshot showed Otobo exposing her breasts while on an alleged video call with Suleman. Otobo said: “If these screenshots were fake, how did I get his pics that aren’t public in the first place and how come I’m the first to release this kind of pics of him? He has changed his hairstyle twice since I came out to speak up with receipts. He has done a lot to appear different. “If the d*ck pic isn’t his, what is he gonna say about the scar on his left thigh? His wife can’t deny that scar. How did I know he has a scar on his left thigh if we didn’t have intimacy? Lol. If he’s denying it, he should open up his thigh let’s see. His nails too say it all.” She alleged that the cleric tried to stop her from progressing, and almost ended her life. “Some people kept on wondering why I came out exposing Apostle Johnson Suleman, and why I haven’t let go ever since. The truth is that I never planned to. He pushed me to the wall and the only way I could fight back was to cry out and make everything known. The devil smiles.   “Apostle Johnson Suleman tried using police to shut me up because I visited Nigeria to feature Timaya in a song. I already paid Clarence Peters for the visuals of the song before Oga arrested me, cos I refused to obey him to go back to Canada. He wanted me to amount to nothing. “He did everything to stop my music career. He was scared that I’ll be influential. He even poisoned me, paid my friends to set me up and bribed some members of my family to assassinate me. Lured me to come to make a false confession at his church in Auchi that I lied against him. “That it was other pastors and politicians that wanted to bring him down. How come no name was mentioned? I only did that cos the pressure was too much and everyone had left me to suffer alone. No support. I had to give up at that moment to have the opportunity for reinforcement. “This man has done everything to end my life but God is not dead, this video is the complete story of how everything happened and how it’s going lately. I’ll release a comprehensive video of everything that happened and the answers to questions.” In January 2018, Otobo accused Suleman of impregnating her and breaching a promise to marry her. She claimed she had sex romps with the pastor in Italy, New York and Nigeria. Suleman denied the allegations and threatened to sue a news medium which published her allegations. He also threatened Festus Keyamo, SAN, whose law office in Lagos represented Otobo, demanding an apology and the payment of N1 billion to him for blackmail and injury. In March 2017, Otobo was arraigned in a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos with one Wisdom Godstime on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, intent

2023: Kalu withdraws from presidential race, backs Lawan

  Senate Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu has withdrawn from the 2023 presidential race. He threw his weight behind the presidential bid of Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the latest entrant into the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential race. Kalu in a statement in Abuja said: “I congratulate my friend, former roommate and boss, Senator Ahmad Lawan, as he picks form to run for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under our great party, All Progressives Congress (APC). “I am most glad because he is from the North East, the only zone alongside South East that is yet to produce President of Nigeria. “I have always maintained an unambiguous stand that for justice, equity and fairness in our country, the next President of Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari should come from the South East or the North East. “I have also told Nigerians that I would only run for the office of President if the two major political parties (APC and PDP) zone their tickets to the South East. “That is why I was disappointed with our southern brothers who are talking about fairness and equity but has zero tolerance for the same fairness and equity in the South. “In the absence of a South Easterner being President of Nigeria in 2023, I have my full support for a North Easterner. This is because it would be the closest to the equity, fairness and justice everyone is talking about. It further means that justice is on its way to the South East. “I thank those who said they have picked presidential form for me because they meant well for Nigerians. “However, since there is no zoning and the contest is open to all Nigerians, I officially withdraw from presidential contest in 2023. “I have also picked ticket to run for Abia North Senatorial zone and to complete the good work I started in Abia North. “I urge all my friends, allies and supporters in the APC to toe the line of justice by supporting Senator Ahmad Lawan, a North Easterner for the presidential ticket of the APC.”

BREAKING: Jonathan disowns northern group, says APC form bought without his consent

  Former President Goodluck Jonathan says he has no link to the northern coalition that purchased the presidential nomination and express of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for him. Earlier on Monday, the coalition procured the forms for Jonathan from the International Conference Centre in Abuja. But in a statement issued on Monday night by Ikechukwu Eze, his spokesman, the former president said he didn’t authorise the purchase. “It has come to our notice that a group has purportedly purchased Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the name of former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,” the statement reads. “We wish to categorically state that Dr. Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorise it. “We want to state that if the former President wanted to contest an election, he would make his intentions clear to the public and will not enter through the back door. “While we appreciate the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians for Dr. Jonathan to make himself available for the 2023 presidential election, we wish to state that he has not, in anyway, committed himself to this request. “Buying a presidential aspiration form in the name of Dr. Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person. The general public is therefore advised to disregard it.” More to follow…..