Crime Facts

PDP Must Work Very Hard Because Of Obi’s Popularity In S’East – Ihedioha

  Former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) needs to work hard considering the popularity gained by Labour Party (LP) in the South East. Many have ascribed the party’s popularity to its presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi. The former lawmaker, who stated this when he appeared on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, however, said his party would win in the forthcoming general elections. He said, “For the PDP, South East has been the party’s dominated area and now we have Labour Party. That is why I am saying my party has to work very hard, and that is what we are about to do.” The former lawmaker acknowledged that the Obi is having a growing support from the region. “Like I said, Peter Obi is the man I respect and having good relationship with. I know he has a growing support base. “We are going to the general elections that’s scheduled for February 2023 and we need time to penetrate,” he added.

Naira constant, exchanges at 437.03 to dollar

  The Naira remained unchanged on Friday, exchanging at N437.03 to the dollar at the Investors and Exporters Window. The local currency did not change from its value on Thursday. The open indicative rate closed at N437 to the dollar on Friday. An exchange rate of N441 to the dollar was the highest rate recorded within the day’s trading before it settled at N437.03. The Naira sold for as low as N435 to the dollar within the day’s trading. A total of 45.89 million dollars was traded in foreign exchange at the official Investors and Exporters window on Friday. (NAN)

Oyetola releases N1.2bn for pension payment

  The Osun State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, has released a sum of N350,000,000 for the payment of retirement benefits of pensioners on Contributory Pensions Scheme in the state civil service. The amount was said to be in addition to N752,000,000, monthly pension to be paid to retirees under the old Pensions Scheme for the month of September. Oyetola has also released an additional sum of N100,000,000 to pay part of the gratuities of retirees on Old Pensions Scheme, totalling N1,202,000,000. This was contained in a statement signed by the state Head of Service, Dr. Festus Oyebade, obtained in Osogbo on Friday, which also said the list of beneficiaries had been placed on the notice boards of the Civil Service Bureau Office of the Head of Service, and the Ministry of Information and Civic Engagement. “Concerned retirees who are picked on merit are to check the list for their names and payment starts immediately on Tuesday, October 4, 2022. “Mr Adegboyega Oyetola urges all the workers and retirees in the State to be more dedicated and wishes them Happy Independence Anniversary. He assures all workers in the state both serving and retired of giving their welfare priority and attention throughout his administration,” the statement concluded.

Independence Day: Buhari to address the nation on Saturday

  President Muhammadu Buhari will, on Saturday, address the country through a nationwide broadcast. Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, disclosed this in a statement on Friday. According to Adesina, the nationwide broadcast is part of the activities to commemorate Nigeria’s 62nd independence anniversary celebration. “As part of activities commemorating the 62nd Independence Anniversary of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari will address the nation on Saturday, October 1, 2022 at 7 am,” the statement reads. “Television, radio stations and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast.” Buhari’s address on Saturday will be his last Independence Day speech as president, as he will end his tenure in May 2023 as the constitution provides. Although there have been calls for an interim government to be put in place or for Buhari to extend his tenure to effectively tackle insecurity, the presidency has insisted that he will not stay beyond his constitutional length of time in office. “We wish to categorically restate that the president will step down on May 29th, 2023, after serving two terms – as per the constitution,” Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, had said in May 2022.

Tinubu not sick, still working in London’

  The Director, Media and Publicity, All Progressives Congress Presidential (APC) Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga on Friday, revealed that the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu is healthy and working hard in London, United Kingdom as he does in Nigeria. Onanuga made the remarks in the wake of criticism that trailed the whereabouts of the APC flagbearer who was absent at the official commencement of the 2023 presidential election campaigns. He particularly made a clarification on his official Facebook page to a viral photo which suggested that Tinubu was sick. The post read, “Here is a fake photo of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu forwarded to me just now, another handiwork of purveyors of deep fake. Whoever is behind this malicious falsehood will face the judgment of God at the right time. The man in the photo does not look like Asiwaju, except for his baldness. The man is fatter. Tinubu is slimmer. “Look at the frame of his glasses. it is certainly not Tinubu’s trademark frame. Let me assure Nigerians who genuinely want to know Tinubu’s whereabouts. He is in London, in his house. “Tinubu left Nigeria on Saturday night for a short break and in readiness for what will certainly be a gruelling campaign. I saw him, and spoke with him two hours before he left. He was hale and hearty. He was not ill. He didn’t go to treat any ailment. “We spoke today at about 2pm. And he told me how his one-week retreat has not made any difference. He was still working like in Nigeria. Today, he still burnt his candle till 4.30 a.m.. “Nigerians should stop spreading rumours about Tinubu, who by the grace of God and fellow Nigerians, will be elected our leader next February. We should learn from the divine fate of the man who wished Tinubu dead,” he said.

October 1: No Rally Will be Allowed At Lekki Toll Gate – Police

  The police on Friday said no rally will be allowed at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 1. “It has become imperative to reemphasize that no form of rally whatsoever will be allowed at the Lekki Toll gate tomorrow, October 1, 2022,” a statement signed by police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, said. “This emphasis has become necessary to enlighten Nigerians that might be misled into converging on the toll gate. A court of competent jurisdiction has ruled that no person is allowed to converge on the Lekki Toll gate for whatever reason. “In conformity with its mandate to protect life and property, the Lagos State Police Command under the leadership of CP Abiodun Alabi, fdc will leave no stone unturned in ensuring total compliance with the court order and an emplacement of adequate security in the state. “While the Command is not averse to the peoples’ right to freedom of assembly and association; and expression, the Command will equally live up to its mandate of ensuring that no person or group of persons is allowed to infringe on the fundamental human rights of others, especially the rights to freedom of movement and right to dignity of human persons, especially under the guise of rally or procession. “The warning therefore goes that anyone found flouting the court order or infringing on the rights of other Nigerians will be dealt with in accordance with the law. “Meanwhile, CP Alabi enjoins all peace loving persons to go about their lawful duties without fear of harassment or intimidation, reiterating that adequate security assets have been strategically deployed to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians at designated rally venues and across the state at large.”

Tinubu’s absence has become nightmare for opposition, says Keyamo

  Spokesman of the All Progressives Congress, APC presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo has said the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has become a nightmare for the opposition parties. Keyamo, who made this assertion via his verified Twitter handle on Friday, noted that the opposition parties are scared over the absence of Tinubu. He tweeted, “Whether he’s around or not, they’re scared. @officialABAT has become their nightmare. The inquiries are out of FEAR as to what he is up to. “The biggest political strategy is to keep your opponent guessing! Even by mere absence, @officialABAT remains the issue in this campaign! 😄,” Keyamo added. Tinubu in London resting — Ayo Oyalowo Similarly, another member of the APC Presidential campaign council, Ayo Oyalowo has said Tinubu is in London resting. Oyalowo stated that Tinubu was not able to rest in Lagos or Abuja, adding that he has been working tirelessly. He said, “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is in London. He cannot rest in Lagos, they will not let him rest, so he came into Abuja most of the time, they will still not let him rest. This man has been working for an average of 20 hrs in the 24hrs in each day.”

Zelensky accelerates bid to join NATO

  President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine disclosed a bid for fast-track membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military alliance on Friday. The accelerated move comes in a swift reaction to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of the annexation of four war-laden Ukrainian regions. Zelensky signed the NATO application papers in an online video intended as strong opposition to the Kremlin after Putin held a ceremony in Moscow to proclaim the four partially occupied regions as annexed Russian land. “We are taking our decisive step by signing Ukraine’s application for accelerated accession to NATO,” Zelensky said in the video on the Telegram app. Reuters said the video showed Zelenskiy was exhausted as he announced the membership bid and signed a document flanked by his prime minister and the speaker of parliament. Before Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, it was demanding legally binding guarantees that Ukraine would never be admitted to the United States-led transatlantic defence alliance. Kyiv and the West have said Moscow used this as a pretext to launch a pre-planned military campaign against Ukraine. By applying for accelerated membership of NATO, Zelensky seemed to be showing Putin is failing in one of his main war goals – preventing Ukraine from joining NATO. In his video speech, Zelenskiy accused Russia of rewriting history and redrawing borders “using murder, blackmail, mistreatment and lies,” something he said Kyiv would not allow. He said however that Kyiv remained committed to the idea of co-existence with Russia “on equal, honest, dignified and fair conditions”. “Clearly, with this Russian president (that) is impossible. He does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but with another president of Russia,” Zelensky said.

Fraud: Mama Boko Haram bags another jail term — third conviction in 15 weeks

  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its Maiduguri zonal office has secured the conviction of Aisha Wakil, better known as ‘Mama Boko Haram’, over N15 million fraud. According to a statement issued on Friday by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, Wakil was convicted alongside Tahiru Alhaji, Saidu Daura, and Prince Lawal Shoyode. The EFCC said Aisha Kumaliya, judge of the Borno state high court, sentenced them on Thursday to seven years imprisonment each for conspiracy, and another seven years for obtaining money by false pretences. “Before their conviction, the defendants were first arraigned on September 14, 2020 before Justice Kumaliya on two count charges for the offences of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million Naira),” the statement reads. “Count two of the charge reads: ‘That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji, Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyode, whilst being Chief Executive Officer, Program Manager and Country Director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (Non-Governmental Organization), and Saidu Muktar (at large), sometime in November 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million Naira) only from one Honourable Bukar Kachalla of Hammiza Global Resources Limited under the false pretence of executing a purported contract of supply of 3 units of Chemistry Analyzer Solar Energy Brand Model 1800 (UK Version), which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence Contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable Under Section 1 (3) of the Same Act’.” The defendants were said to have pleaded not guilty. However, Mukhtar Ahmed, prosecution counsel, “presented six witnesses and tendered several documents as exhibits before the court and thereafter closed his case on October 27, 2020”. “Delivering judgment, Justice Kumaliya found the defendants guilty on the two count charges and sentenced them to seven years imprisonment each without an option of fine for the offence of conspiracy,” the statement reads. “The judge further sentenced them to another seven years imprisonment without an option of fine each for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence. “He ordered the convicts to jointly restitute the sum of N15,000.000.00 (Fifteen Million Naira) to their victim, in default of which they are to serve additional five years prison term.” The development comes three months after a high court in Borno sentenced Mama Boko Haram to five years imprisonment over her involvement in N71,4 million fraud. Meanwhile, in August, a high court in Borno state sentenced her to seven years imprisonment over N66 million fraud.

ndependence anniversary: Nigeria shall rise again – Atiku

  Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated Nigerians on the celebration of the country’s 62nd Independence Day anniversary, assuring that the nation will rise again. The former vice president said this in a statement issued by his Media Office on Friday in Abuja, to celebrate the 2022 Independence anniversary. Abubakar said that the celebration of Nigeria’s Independence Day is an event that should reawaken citizens’ consciousness towards the consolidation of unity amongst the diverse people of the country. The PDP presidential candidate said that Nigeria had come a long way after independence 62 years ago, passing through different phases of challenges. “The democracy that we have is the requisite antidote to the current challenges that we face. “Though Nigeria is beset with challenges that range from inadequacies of our economic plans to cover a large percentage of our people who live below the poverty line to security skirmishes that daily threaten the safety of lives and property of Nigerians, the root cause of these problems is traceable to the increasing lack of unity amongst us. “However, I assure you that as one people and under the canopy of one country sharing in one future, we will surmount our challenges and enthrone the Nigeria of our dreams,” Abubakar said. He urged all Nigerians to give the issue of building national unity primary attention as the citizens go into the general elections next year. “Nigerians should elect leaders who are individuals with proven track records of being protagonists of unity and peace. “I believe that when we fix the issues that continue to compromise our national unity, we would invariably fix issues that upset our peace and security and subsequently create an environment that can encourage economic prosperity”, Abubakar said. The presidential flagbearer of the PDP called on all friends of Nigeria in the international community to continue to have confidence in the country because “as a people, we never give up.” He called on all people of faith across the country not to relent in their prayers to God to keep Nigeria as a country of peace and prosperity for the good of all its people.