Crime Facts

Man bags life imprisonment for defiling friend’s twin daughters

  Sexual Offences Court on Wednesday sentenced a 54-year-old pastor, Michael Oliseh, to life imprisonment for defiling his friend’s 12-year-old twin daughters. Delivering judgment, Justice Abiola Soladoye, described Oliseh, the assistant Pastor of the Anointed Chosen Vessel Ministry in Okota, Lagos, as a “serial rapist” who took turns defiling his friend’s daughters. She held that the prosecution had convincingly proved the charges of defilement against Oliseh beyond any reasonable doubt. The judge sentenced Oliseh to life imprisonment on the two-count charge bordering on defilement. She said, “The testimony of the defendant portrayed him as a serial rapist who took turns to defile the survivors. “What a disloyal and untrustworthy pastor, who shamelessly and audaciously had sexual intercourse with his friend’s children who were entrusted in his care. AD “His conduct is unbecoming of a pastor. “Having been found guilty as charged with the two offences, the defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.’’ She said that the sentences should run concurrently, adding that should have his name entered in the Sex Offenders Register of the Lagos State Government. Soladoye also berated the parents of the survivors for lack of discipline by sending the survivors to stay with the convict. “Parents of the survivors lack discipline and ought not to have sent their children to go stay in Oliseh’s house. “Children are not to be entrusted with rowdy adults. They should be kept in the hands of responsible adults who have their goodwill at heart. “The need for responsible parenting cannot be overemphasized,” the judge said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that five witnesses testified at the trial and five exhibits were tendered. According to the prosecution counsel, Mrs Olufunke Adegoke, Oliseh committed the crimes sometimes in November 2017 in Ago, near Okota, a suburb of Lagos. Adegoke said that the defendant defiled the survivors after their father had entrusted them in his care and travelled to the village for a burial. She said that Oliseh then threatened the survivors that their father would become jobless if they told anyone about the sexual encounter. She also submitted that Oliseh was caught by one of the neighbours after he had chased one of the survivors in the compound and dragged her with her pant. NAN reports that the prosecution said the offences violated Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Buhari’s visit: MASSOB demands Kanu’s release, Igbo presidency

  As President Muhhamadu Buhari visits Ebonyi tomorrow, a pro-saparatist group in the region, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has demanded for immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu from detention as well as a president of Igbo extraction Kanu is the leader of another separatist group in the region, Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB). Both groups are seeking for the carving out of an Independent State of Biafra from the region’s five States and some parts of south-south region. Kanu was arrested last year and charged to court on allegations of terrorism and treasonable felony, allegations he has continued to deny. He remains in detention. The region has witnessed increasing and regular attacks on security agencies and facilities, government facilities and high profile individuals following Mr Kanu’s arrest last year. Comrade Uchenna Madu, Leader of MASSOB enumerated the group’s demand for Kanu’s release in a statement on Wednesday. While noting that MASSOB is not against the President’s visit to the region, the MASSOB Leader said the release of Mr Kanu will douse tension in the region. “As President Muhammadu Buhari visit Ebonyi state, MASSOB remind Mr president that only the release of IPOB leader will douse tension in the zone as well as restoring peaceful atmosphere to the entire country. “MASSOB also remind President Muhammadu Buhari that continuous detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody will only worsen the security challenges facing the country, it will also continue to affect the economy”. Madu also said a president of Igbo extraction to succeed the president will help to diffuse already bottled anger which is fuelling the agitations across the region. “MASSOB will not be against the visit of President Buhari to Ebonyi state. We are making these two major demands as part of our own contribution to peace as being clamoured by well meaning citizens” “MASSOB requests from President Muhammadu Buhari to facilitate and ensure that one of the many southeast presidential aspirants succeeds him in 2023 to help the country diffuse many bottled anger which has fuelled agitations”., Mr Madu said. Buhari will commission numerous projects executed by Governor David Umahi administration.   As President Muhhamadu Buhari visits Ebonyi tomorrow, a pro-saparatist group in the region, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has demanded for immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu from detention as well as a president of Igbo extraction Kanu is the leader of another separatist group in the region, Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB). Both groups are seeking for the carving out of an Independent State of Biafra from the region’s five States and some parts of south-south region. Kanu was arrested last year and charged to court on allegations of terrorism and treasonable felony, allegations he has continued to deny. He remains in detention. The region has witnessed increasing and regular attacks on security agencies and facilities, government facilities and high profile individuals following Mr Kanu’s arrest last year. Comrade Uchenna Madu, Leader of MASSOB enumerated the group’s demand for Kanu’s release in a statement on Wednesday. While noting that MASSOB is not against the President’s visit to the region, the MASSOB Leader said the release of Mr Kanu will douse tension in the region. “As President Muhammadu Buhari visit Ebonyi state, MASSOB remind Mr president that only the release of IPOB leader will douse tension in the zone as well as restoring peaceful atmosphere to the entire country. “MASSOB also remind President Muhammadu Buhari that continuous detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody will only worsen the security challenges facing the country, it will also continue to affect the economy”. Madu also said a president of Igbo extraction to succeed the president will help to diffuse already bottled anger which is fuelling the agitations across the region. “MASSOB will not be against the visit of President Buhari to Ebonyi state. We are making these two major demands as part of our own contribution to peace as being clamoured by well meaning citizens” “MASSOB requests from President Muhammadu Buhari to facilitate and ensure that one of the many southeast presidential aspirants succeeds him in 2023 to help the country diffuse many bottled anger which has fuelled agitations”., Mr Madu said. Buhari will commission numerous projects executed by Governor David Umahi administration.

Amaechi: Elites Responsible For Nigeria’s Problems

  Minister of Transportation and All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Hopeful, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has blamed the elites for the country’s woes. He said this at the 2022 World Press Freedom Day organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital. “The problem of the country is not the poor man in Akwa Ibom or Rivers; it is not the poor man in the south-east or in the north. It is you and I, the elite,” he said. He tasked Nigerians to hold politicians accountable for their actions in governance. Amaechi, who was the special guest of honour at the event, said, “Until we begin to hold every politician, every elite accountable, this country won’t move forward,” he said. According to him, the elites are shouting restructuring because there is nothing more to share. “Why you hear restructuring and restructuring every time is because the elites’ consensus on sharing (the resources) is disappearing; it’s because there is nothing to share again because we are broke. The problem facing this country is caused by the elite, including you.” He also urged media practitioners to support efforts to find resolutions to the nation’s problems through objective, balanced and fair reportage, adding that “freedom comes with responsibility”. A lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Jones Ayuwo, who delivered a lecture said the sustenance of the country’s democracy is dependent on having a free press. Ayuwo, who spoke on the topic: ‘Journalism Under Digital Siege’, however lamented that the media and government have been relating like cat-and-mouse. “We must stand against any attempt by government to regulate the internet because if it is regulated, we also are regulated,” he said.

Data, call costs to go up as telecoms union proposes 40% tariff hike

Telecommunication companies under the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) have asked for upward reviews in voice calls, short message services (SMS) and data costs. ALTON said this in a letter addressed to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), citing the rising cost of running a business. According to ALTON, the proposed upward review of the price of calls will increase from N6.4 to N8.95, while the price cap of SMS will increase from N4 to N5.61. The group said this had increased energy costs, increasing their operating expenses by 35 per cent. It added that the introduction of the recent excise duty of five per cent on telecom services had further increased the burden of multiple taxes and levies on the industry. “As the commission may be aware, the power sector under the supervision of its Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission of the power sector in November 2020 undertook a review of electricity tariffs to cater for the economic headwinds reported above,” the letter reads. “In view of the foregoing, ALTON considers it expedient for the telecommunications sector to undergo periodic cost adjustments through the commission’s intervention to minimise the impact of the challenging economic issues faced by our members. Details are hereunder: “Upward review of the price determination for voice and data and SMS. Given the state of the economy and the circa 40 per cent increase in the cost of doing business, we wish to request an interim administrative review of the mobile (voice) termination rate for voice; administrative data floor price, and cost of SMS as reflected in extant instruments. “With respect to voice and SMS cost, ALTON respectfully requests the commission to consider a mark-up approach to address the upward price adjustment desirable for the industry. We have enclosed herein and marked ‘Annexure 1’our proposal in that regard. “For data services, we wish to request that the commission implements the recommendations in the August 2020 KPMG report on the determination of cost-based pricing for wholesale and retail broadband service in Nigeria. Excerpts from the report are attached and marked ‘Annexure 2’ to provide a further illustration. “In implementing the said recommendations, however, we recommend that the 40 per cent increase in the cost of doing business be factored in to arrive at a cost price per GB in view of the current economic situation.” The group also highlighted other demands to the commission such as to explore other penalties for operators other than punitive monetary sanctions, extend the payment timeline of relevant regulatory levies and fees, prevail on the federal government to sign the executive order declaring telecoms infrastructure as a critical national infrastructure to mitigate cost spent replacing damaged and stolen infrastructures, among others. It added that the Mobile (Voice) Termination Rate (MTR) for voice, administrative data floor price and cost of SMS as reflected in extant instruments should also be increased. “For large operators, a new interim MTR of N5.46 from N3.90 reflecting 40 per cent increase in the cost of business,” ALTON said. “For small operators, the new interim MTR of N6.58 from N4.70 reflects a 40 per cent increase in the cost of business.”

CBN approves N2bn for artisans in Imo

  The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has approved the sum of N2 billion to the Imo State government for the empowerment of artisans in the state. The Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Ford Ozumba, disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday in Owerri, while announcing the Imo 2022 Entrepreneurial Product Expo in partnership with CBN. He said the Imo State government approached the CBN and was considered qualified to get the approval for the CBN loan. The Commissioner explained that; “The project was conceived to expose artisans of the state origin to trade, assist them to use their knowledge to migrate into the digital socio-formation, create structures and systems that would engage the youths into productive sectors as well as for them to train others to alleviate poverty and contribute in the efforts to improve the economy of the state. AD “The money is in partnership with CBN, the CBN has approved N2billion for Imo State. The money is not with us. It is in the bank. It will be disposed to youths in the trade. It is a loan from the CBN. The CBN has a facility for this project. We approach them and they said Imo was qualified. The money will be given to artisans. These artisans are already made. The artisans have associations we are working with So, as part of the activities for this project, we have a project starting on the 10th of May 2022, a weekly event, the first Imo State innovation and entrepreneurial exhibition in Owerri. “The state is blessed with several talented artisans and accomplished industrialists whose products such as solar energy and cold rooms compete favourably with foreign products but which are not exposed to the outside world for patronage. “We want to put our people on exhibition to showcase their talents, skills, ingenuity and creativity and with a well designed structured technology to expose this to the international community. They would be motivated to export their products and help our economy to grow,” he said.

Russia-Ukraine war: Nine latest updates as Russia bans entry to Japan’s PM, officials

  Russia said Wednesday it has banned entry to several dozen Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, after Tokyo joined international sanctions against Moscow over its military campaign in Ukraine. “The administration of F. Kishida launched an unprecedented anti-Russian campaign (and) allows unacceptable rhetoric against the Russian Federation, including slander and direct threats,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. “It is echoed by public figures, experts, representatives of Japanese media, who are completely engaged by the attitudes of the West towards our country,” the ministry added. Here are other latest developments in the war in Ukraine: – New EU sanctions, oil ban take shape – EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says the bloc will impose a gradual Russian oil ban, as part of new sanctions to punish Russia for invading Ukraine. “We will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year,” she tells the European Parliament. In a document seen by AFP, von der Leyen’s proposal asks that Hungary and Slovakia, both hugely dependent on Russian oil, be given more time to meet the ban. The EU executive also proposes sanctioning the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, and excluding Russian bank Sberbank from the SWIFT network. – Attack on Azovstal – Russian forces launch a “powerful assault” on the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, Ukraine’s army says. The Kremlin says its forces, along with pro-Moscow Ukrainian separatists, are using artillery and planes to target the site. – A deadly day – In one of a series of assaults in Ukraine’s east, 21 civilians are killed and another 28 wounded in the Donetsk region Tuesday, local authorities say. Ten of the 21 dead are killed in the shelling of the Avdiivka coke plant, according to regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, who says the daily death toll is the highest since a Russian strike on a train station in Kramatorsk about a month ago. – Evacuees reach Zaporizhzhia – Further evacuations from the long-besieged port city of Mariupol are expected Wednesday, a day after 156 people arrived in (the Ukrainian-held city of) Zaporizhzhia. – Strikes in west – A rocket strike knocks out power in part of Lviv, the western city near Poland that has turned into a haven for the displaced due to its comparative calm, mayor Andriy Sadovy says on Twitter. Missiles also strike far to the country’s west in Transcarpathia, a region bordering Hungary that has largely been spared to date, says Victor Mykyta, head of the local military administration. – Belarus launches surprise manoeuvres – Belarus, a Moscow ally that shares a border with Ukraine, launches “surprise” military manoeuvres, to test the reactive capacity of its army, its defence ministry says. Belarus military units were testing their capacity to “go on the alert, move to predetermined zones and undertake combat training,” it says. – Russia accuses Israeli ‘mercenaries’ – A spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry claims Israeli mercenaries are fighting “shoulder to shoulder” with the far-right Azov Regiment in Ukraine. Azov rose to prominence in 2014, when its far-right activists took up arms to fight pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, but have since fallen under the command of Ukraine’s military. The comments by Maria Zakharova further fuel tensions with Israel after Russia suggested Adolf Hitler had “Jewish blood”. – EU to support Moldova – European Council President Charles Michel pledges to increase EU military aid to Moldova, Ukraine’s neighbour that has seen a series of attacks in a pro-Moscow separatist region. “This year we plan to significantly increase our support to Moldova by providing its armed forces with additional military equipment,” Michel tells a press conference with Moldova’s President Maia Sandu during a visit to the country. – Russia to boycott UN meet – In a rare move, Russia will boycott a UN Security Council meeting Wednesday with the EU’s Political and Security Committee, diplomats say, a further sign of deteriorating relations between Moscow and its United Nations partners. AFP

Students protest continued closure of universities

  A coalition of youths and students drawn from different tertiary institutions yesterday took to the streets of some major towns in the country to protest the continued closure of public universities due to strike by staff unions. The people, who acted under the aegis of Fund Education Coalition, stormed the main gate of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, clutching placards with various inscriptions such as “End ASUU strike now,” Education is not a scam”, “We stand with ASUU Revitalisation Fund,” among others.   However, the attempt by some youths and students to protest at the main gate of the University of Lagos, Akoka, was thwarted by security men who took over the place before the students arrived for the protest. One of the students, who gave his name as Michael Adebayo, said his colleagues decided on the protest because there appeared to be no end in sight to the strike. The group had earlier circulated fliers indicating that members would protest in Oyo, Lagos, Edo and some other states. When contacted, the Coordinator, South-West Zone of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Stephen Tegbe, said the coalition informed the student body about the plan to embark on the protest. “Yes,the group informed us about their planned protest but we could not take part in it because of some reasons. The national leadership of NANS is already working on our next line of action regarding the continued closure of public universities in the country,” he said. Recall that the National President of NANS, Sunday Asefon, had few days ago, issued a statement warning political parties against holding their presidential primaries in Abuja while the ASUU/government face-off has not been resolved and the universities reopened. Members of ASUU have been on strike since February 14, this year, while non-teaching staff in the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions, NASU, also started their own strike few weeks ago. (Vanguard)

Real men of God are not known for controversies, IPOB replies Apostle Suleiman, Tunde Bakare

  THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday, replied to Apostle Johnson Suleiman, that his alleged unguarded utterance against IPOB and the Igbo nation is not part of his (Suleiman’s) calling IPOB also told the cleric to stop dabbling into politics and allowing the powers that be to use him in attacking their enemies but should face his religious calling, otherwise, he will be disappointed by the people allegedly using him to attack IPOB and Ndigbo. A statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful entitled “Apostle Johnson Suleiman should stop his unguarded utterance against IPOB and Biafrans” warned the cleric to halt the further attack on IPOB and Ndigbo or face the wrath of the pro-Biafra group. IPOB’ statement read in part: “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, under the command of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the unprovoked verbal attack and ranting by Apostle Johnson Suleiman against IPOB and the enterprising Igbo Nation. “It is a puzzle that a man who claims to be serving God will abandon his calling and resort to attacking a nation without any cause, provocation or clash of interests. “When has unguarded utterance against IPOB and the Igbo nation become part of Suleiman’s calling? We do not intend to join issues with Apostle Suleiman and his likes such as Tunde Bakare who has also made Ndigbo the subject of their attacks but our message to them is very unambiguous. “They should steer clear from any matter concerning IPOB or the industrious and great Igbo race. Let them concentrate on their apostolic calling and restrain from unguarded utterances or vituperations on subjects beyond them. “We warn Apostle Suleiman, Pastor Tunde Bakare and their likes to restrain from any comments on IPOB or Igbo nation as that will not be tolerated anymore. We don’t want to have issues with anyone who calls himself a man of God, and men of God should know their limits. “Real men of God in the olden days who have fear of God and respect the Bible and its teachings in the olden days were never known for controversies.”

2023 Presidency: Tinubu, Osinbajo, Other S/West Leaders Meet Friday

  Presidential aspirants of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South West are set to meet in Lagos on Friday to discuss the possibility of pruning down the list of aspirants or coming up with a consensus candidate, Daily Trust learnt. The meeting is being convened by former governors of Ogun and Osun states, Chief Olusegun Osoba and Chief Bisi Akande, respectively. as Lawan, Olawepo-Hashim, others pick forms Daily Trust learnt that the two APC chieftains were worried over the increasing number of aspirants emerging from the zone. So far, five aspirants are eyeing the APC ticket to contest the presidential election in the 2023 general elections. They include the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi; former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole. Daily Trust learnt that the move by the duo of Osoba and Akande was informed by the need to prevent a potential loss of the ticket by the South West geopolitical zone if the leaders did not put their house in order. Those invited to the meeting, it was learnt, included the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, APC governors in the zone and Deputy Senate Leader, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, among other leaders of the party in the zone. The meeting is to hold at the Lagos Government House Marina, according to a source. Meanwhile, Tinubu had a chance meeting in Lagos with the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Ameachi, who is another APC presidential aspirant. Tinubu’s media aide, Tunde Rahman, confirmed this in a tweet. “HE Asíwájú Tinubu and Hon. Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, at a chance encounter at the private wing of the airport in Ikeja, Lagos this afternoon,” he wrote.

Two Killed In Suspected Bomb Attack On Imo Oil Facility

  An explosion has killed two persons at a flow station in the oil-producing community of Izombe in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State. The explosion occurred in the early hours of Wednesday at the facility operated by Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Limited. Mr Micheal Abattam, the Police Public Relations Officer in Imo, confirmed the incident to Channels Television. He explained that the Commissioner of Police in Imo immediately drafted the command’s anti-bomb unit, as well as some operatives of the command to the area to prevent any breakdown of law and order. An eyewitness in the community also disclosed to Channels Television that the two persons affected in the explosion were carriers of the bomb. The eyewitness explained that the victims were trying to find their way into the flow station through the entrance when the bomb exploded and killed them. Addax Petroleum is one of the two oil companies located in the Izombe community. In recent times, the community has been a hotbed of insecurity and violence. The most recent is the clash between some youths in the area and officials of the Nigeria Army which left many dead and several houses destroyed.