May 2022 – Page 71 – Crime Facts

Post Date : May 5, 2022

Court Remands Man, 30, For Allegedly Raping Woman In Church

An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court on Thursday remanded a 30-year-old man Ajibola Akindele, at Oba Correctional Centre, for allegedly raping a 21-year-old woman in a church. The Magistrate, Mrs Olajumoke Somefun, who did not take the plea of Akindele, ordered that the case file should be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice. Somefun, however, adjourned the case until July 13 for mention. Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 16 at The Redeemed Evangelism Ministry (TREM) at Ita-Oshin, Abeokuta. Shonibare said that the defendant, who came to help decorate a hall that was contracted out, forcefully and unlawfully had canal knowledge of the woman in the church premises. “The woman was asked to go and open the door for the defendant to gain entrance into the hall,” the prosecutor said. He said that the woman reported the case to the police and the defendant was arrested. Shonibare said that the offence contravened Sections 358 and 359 of the Criminal Law of Ogun, 2006. (NAN)

Post Date : May 5, 2022

NERC approves tariff increase for DisCos

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has given Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC); Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC); Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC); Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC); Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC); Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) approval to increase their tariff rates. The new approval took effect from January1, 2022 but the new rate is from February 2022. According to the document titled: “This regulatory instrument shall be cited as Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO-2022) for Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc (PHED”), NERC based the increase on the Performance Improvement Plans of the DisCos and indices such as gas price, inflation, exchange rate, US inflation rate and available generation capacity. The commission noted that the indices with potential impact of on electricity rates were considered. It added that these indices shall be reviewed in every six months to update the tariffs with changes in the indices as applicable in line with the MYTO. This was contained in the commission’s Order No: NERC/304/2021, which chairman, Sanusi Garba and Vice Chairman Musiliu Oseni signed on 29th December, 2021. The document explained: “Consequently, following the approval of PHED’s PIP on 30th April, 2021, the Commission issued the MYTO-2021 Extraordinary Tariff Order effective from 1st July 2021 in consideration on PHED’s CAPEX proposals over a 5-year plan in line with the approved PIP. “Accordingly, this MYTO-2022 order restates PHED’s approved 5-year CAPEX and relevant assumptions applied to forecast revenue requirements and applicable tariffs for the period 2021-2026 in line with MYTO Methodology and Regulations Procedure for Electricity Tariff Reviews in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).” It is programmed from 1st July 2021 to 30th June, 2026. The document showed that for the PHED (A-Non MD) customers who paid N56.16/kwh in January 2022 will now (February to December 2022) pay N60.67/kwh). (B Non-MD) customers who paid N56.64/kwh in January 2022, will now pay N59.64/kwh. The noted that E- MD2 customers who paid N50.72/kwh in January 2022, will now (From February 2022) pay N54.22/kwh . Details Shortly..

Post Date : May 5, 2022

Elon Musk gets $7bn backing from Binance, Oracle for Twitter takeover

Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla Inc., has raised over $7.1 billion from friends and investors to help acquire Twitter. The details are contained in a filing on the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Last month, Musk agreed to buy Twitter Inc. for $44 billion in a deal that will ensure investors receive $54.20 for each Twitter share they own. According to the SEC filing, Prince al-Waleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, who agreed to retain his nearly $1.9 billion stakes, is the biggest contribution. Binance is the second-highest investor, with a $500 million in equity. The investors and their commitments are as follows; A.M. Management & Consulting, ($25,000,000), AH Capital Management, L.L.C. (a16z), ($400,000,000), Binance ($500,000,000), Aliya Capital Partners LLC ($360,000,000), BAMCO, Inc. (Baron) ($100,000,000), Brookfield ($250,000,000), DFJ Growth IV, Partners, LLC ($100,000,000), Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC ($316,139,386), and Honeycomb Asset Management LP ($5,000,000). Others include Key Wealth Advisors LLC ($30,000,000), Lawrence J. Ellison Revocable Trust ($1,000,000,000), Litani Ventures ($25,000,000), Qatar Holding LLC ($375,000,000), Sequoia Capital Fund, L.P. ($800,000,000), Strauss Capital LLC ($150,000,000), Tresser Blvd 402 LLC (Cartenna)($8,500,000), VyCapital ($700,000,000), and Witkoff Capital ($100,000,000). The new commitments will help Musk cut the margin loan he has taken from $12.5 billion to $6.25 billion.

Post Date : May 5, 2022

2023 presidency: Pastor Tunde Bakare picks N100m APC nomination form

Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Nigeria, Tunde Bakare, on Thursday, purchased N100m nomination and expression of interests forms of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to contest the 2023 presidential primary in Abuja. He joins the growing list of aspirants jostling for the ticket of the All Progressive Congress which holds its primaries on May 30, 2022

Post Date : May 5, 2022

2023: Plot To Frustrate Igbo Presidency Will Fail- Ohanaeze PG, Prof Obiozor

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that plot to frustrate an Igbo man becoming the president of Nigeria in 2023 will fail. This was contained in a speech presented by the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor, to the Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretariat on Thursday, May 5th, 2022. Professor Obiozor said “The clamour for an Igbo to be elected as a President of Nigeria is morally and historically justifiable, adding that; “It is a project every Igbo must commit himself or herself. The Igbo leader said efforts are on ground to reach other parts of the country to support the course while condemning the double dealings on the issue of zoning while aligning themselves with the position of Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF). “Ohanaeze Ndigbo has made contacts with several Nigerian leaders with respect to the right of the South East to produce a President for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. All the double dealings about zoning and rotation of power is an orchestrated conspiracy to deprive the South East of the right to produce a president. “I want to assure all of you that hard as they may try, they will surely fail. Ours is a right and just cause. I wish to use this opportunity to encourage all the Presidential aspirants from the South East to remain focused, tenacious and optimistic. “In fact we are fully committed to the resolution by the Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF) that no Southerner, in fact a South Easterner for that matter, should denigrate himself or herself with the position of a Vice President. “The Political Action Committee (PAC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo will still meet several eminent Nigerians to persuade them to appreciate the need for a South easterner to be elected a president of Nigeria.”

Post Date : May 5, 2022

Buhari lauds Umahi on quality projects in Ebonyi

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi on the quality of projects in the State. Buhari expressed satisfaction with his performance saying he that was not surprised at the standard of work because the two-time governor is an engineer of repute. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president began his two-day visit to the State with the inauguration of projects at the state-owned King David University of Medical Sciences, Uburu. The projects included a twin flyover, 12-kilometre dualised Federal Road, from Mbu, Enugu State to Uburu, the University Building and the University Medical Hospital, Facilities and Equipment. At his first stop in the State for the inauguration of the 700-metre length twin-flyover (also called King David’s University flyover), constructed at the cost of N2 billion by the State government, President Buhari said: ”I am not an Engineer by discipline but my eyes are very clear, even through my eyeglasses. ”I am impressed with this performance and I know the projects will last. I congratulate the Governor on this feat and I am pleased to be associated with it.” While in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of the State, the president also inaugurated the Cancer Centre at the King David University of Medical Sciences, built and equipped by the Federal Government under TETFUND. Telegram Umahi, who thanked the president for approving the funding of the Centre, said the facility could rank with other centres around the world. ”It is in the same standard as Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the State government also contributed to the project to bring it to completion,” he said. At the inauguration of the hospital section of the university, the governor thanked the president for acceding to the request of the State government on the Federal Government to take over the running of the teaching hospital. ”This hospital is beyond the scope of any State government to run and we have been celebrating your approval of our request and are very proud that you are here to commission it yourself. ”You have left a lot of indelible marks in the development of this centre of excellence and it will never be forgotten,” he said. At the inauguration of the Presidential Lodge at the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Onueke, the governor announced that the tarmac and runway of the airport, built with concrete, had attained over 70 per cent completion, and would be ready by the end of next month. The president also inaugurated the five kilometres dualised airport road in Onueke, built by the State government as well as the reconstructed St Margaret Umahi International Market complex and a 750-metre length twin-flyover near the market. The Muhammadu Buhari Presidential Lodge, Abakaliki, was also inaugurated by the president on Thursday. (NAN)

Post Date : May 5, 2022

Vice Chancellor wives plan Turkey trip amid ASUU strike

Wives of Vice Chancellors of public universities are set to travel to Istanbul, Turkey for a five-day conference, The PUNCH has learnt. This is as the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities since February 14, 2022, entered its third month. According to a letter by the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, the programme is scheduled to hold from 18 to 23 July 2022, in Istanbul. The letter which was dated May 5, 2022, and sighted by our correspondent, was signed by the Committee’s Secretary-General, Yakubu Ochefu. Ochefu noted that each of the VC wives would pay a sum of N1.5m as course form to attend the programme. The letter addressed to vice chancellors was titled, ‘Invitation to the Istanbul 5-Day Leadership & Management Masterclass, Fellowship Induction for Spouses of Vice Chancellors, Women in Academics and Higher Education Leadership’. It partly read, “We understand the vital role spouses play in supporting Vice Chancellors as they execute their day- to day administration of universities. It is therefore imperative, that capacity building exercises be put in place for the Women in Academics and spouses of Vice Chancellors in Nigerian Universities. “In this regard, the Committee’s Secretariat, In Partnership with Win Institute for Gender Studies, Nigeria in collaboration with her Turkey-based learning partner, Istanbul Egitimler, have put together a 5-day Leadership & Management Masterclass, and Fellowship Induction for spouses of Vice Chancellors, women academics and higher education leadership in Africa.” Similarly, the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities Spouses is set to hold a two-day conference at the Tayo Aderinokun Memorial Hall at the University of Lagos. The conference slated for May 9, 2022, has UNILAG VC, Prof O.T. Ogundipe, and his wife as hosts while former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, Dr Ibukun Awosika, is pencilled as one of the speakers. ASUU had on February 14 embarked on industrial action. The union led by Prof Emmanuel Osodeke said it made the decision for the Federal Government and its agencies to meet the lingering demands of the union. The National Association of Nigerian Students has since threatened fire and brimstone, censuring the Federal Government for abandoning students of public universities but politicians including current ministers have shunned the striking lecturers and protesting students. Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; as well as Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; both of the ruling All Progressives Congress recently picked up the party’s N100m presidential nomination and expression of interest forms each while lecture rooms remained shut for about three months this year. Students of public universities had also been at home for nine straight months in 2020 when ASUU and the Federal Government had a face-off over unpaid areas, choice of payment platforms, amongst other contentious issues.

Post Date : May 5, 2022

BREAKING: IPOB denies issuing sit-at-home order against Buhari’s visit to Ebonyi

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, through its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, has denied the allegation that IPOB issued a sit-at-home order against the visit of President Buhari to Ebonyi State and Enugu. Vanguard reports that foremost nationalist and First Republic Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amechi had on Wednesday made a passionate appeal to IPOB to withdraw its alleged order for the people of South East to sit at home in protest against Buhari’s visit. Chief Amechi said that President Buhari’s visit to Ebonyi State will afford him and other Igbo leaders to discuss the release of IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and other Igbo questions including the insecurity that is currently being witnessed in Igbo land. He said “I’m appealing to IPOB or any group behind the alleged statement to please withdraw it, because it amounts to working against the release of our son, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. You cannot be working for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu when you cannot allow us to discuss his release from detention.” However, when Vanguard sought IPOB, reaction, its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful said that IPOB did not issue any statement ordering anybody to sit at home. “The sit-at-home order is not from us, it is one of those lies the Police, Army, and DSS, use to tarnish our image. We have been saying that all the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Army, DSS, and other Nigerian security agencies know how to do best is to tell lies against us. We have been saying it and people are beginning to understand what we have been complaining about Nigerian security agencies and their lies and fabricated statements against IPOB. “We are not interested in what Dave Umahi, the Governor of Ebonyi State is doing with Buhari in his state, we know he is using their President to play his politics. We are aware that he wants to use the opportunity to declare his presidential ambition and therefore we are not interested in what they are doing there. If we are interested, we know what to do. “IPOB did not issue any sit-at-home order, if there is such an order, you must be in the know, so whatever order anybody is issuing against Buhari’s visit to Ebonyi State is not coming from IPOB which I am the spokesman, it is the handiwork of Police, Army and DSS and their agents they use to work against us, shame on them.”

Post Date : May 5, 2022

ASUU Strike: University Students Protest For Second Day In Benin-City

University students took to the streets for the second straight day on Thursday in protest against the strike embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities. Tagging themselves ‘The University of Streets’, the protesters walked along the Ugbowo-Lagos expressway in Benin-City. The walk was expected to terminate at the Ring-Road area of the city. Other students and concerned Nigerians were scheduled to join the students in protest at Ring Road. On Wednesday, the students had taken their protest to the King Square area of the city, demanding an end to the strike. They said they are tired of staying at home, cut off from their academic pursuits. While they appealed to the relevant authorities to look into the issues that led to the strike for a resolution to be reached, the students lamented watching their dream of graduating suffer stagnation. ASUU’s demands ASUU embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14. On March 14, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government meet all of its demands. The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands. One bone of contention for the academics is the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion. But the Federal Government has said it doesn’t have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices during the Muhammadu Buhari administration. The agreement was reportedly struck in 2009. Another is the issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). The academics have proposed an alternative payroll system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

Post Date : May 5, 2022

Ukraine Crisis: Russian Billionaires Flee Country To Dubai To Avoid Sanctions

Dubai has is witnessing an unprecedented influx Russian billionaires, fleeing western countries to avoid sanctions. BBC reports that the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is becoming a haven for wealthy Russians. According to business leaders in the city, Russian billionaires and entrepreneurs have been arriving in the UAE in unprecedented numbers. Property purchases in Dubai by Russians surged by 67% in the first three months of 2022, a report said. The UAE has not put sanctions on Russia or criticised its invasion of Ukraine. It is also providing visas to non-sanctioned Russians while many Western countries have restricted them. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people have left Russia over the last two months – although exact figures are not available. Virtuzone, which helps companies to set up operations in Dubai, has seen a huge surge of Russian clients. “We are receiving five times more enquiries from Russians since the war began. “They are worried about an economic meltdown that’s coming. That is why they are moving here to secure their wealth,” said chief executive George Hojeige. The report added that the influx of Russian nationals has bolstered demand for luxury villas and apartments across the city, as real estate agents report a surge in property prices, as Russians arriving in Dubai are looking to purchase homes.