Barely few days after the child racketeering facility, the Arrows of God Orphanage, at Nkwele Ezunaka, Oyi local government area of Anambra State was exposed, another child adoption syndicate has been uncovered in the state after extorting N3 million from a nurse on the pretext that she would be given twins. The nurse was fronting for a yet to be identified person who apparently brought the money.   The person at the head of the syndicate is a beer parlour operator at Nnobi in Idemili South local government area of the state, who recently opened a chemist shop after collecting the N3 million from the nurse. She is also claiming to be a nurse because she recently opened the chemist shop which she used part of the N3m she collected to fund. The deal was, however, exposed following the failure of the beer parlour operator, who is a mother of three, to deliver the twins as promised. The matter is already before the Chief Magistrate Court in Nnobi and the personalities involved have started telling the court their level of involvement in the matter. A male member of the syndicate, who is a civil servant, claimed that he got involved because a colleague in his office asked him to assist her to adopt a baby. Although he was the complainant in the suit, which is between the Commissioner of Police and the beer parlour operator, he claimed not to be aware that it was an offence. “The child to be adopted is not for me, but for a woman residing in Onitsha. I do not even know her. I only connected the nurse to the beer palour lady, thinking she was genuine. “It is the nurse that paid the N3m and was assured that the twins will be brought to her on February 12, 2023. When the lady could not bring the babies, we started looking for her,” he told the court. It was also gathered that the person in Onitsha is not even the person adopting the twins, as she too was acting for someone outside the state. The police has already charged the beer parlour woman of fraud under Sec 1, Sub Sec (1) (a) of Advanced Free Fraud and other related offences, 2006. The offence carries maximum 20 years jail term and a minimum of seven years. The Police prosecutor handling the case said that after collecting the N3m, the beer parlour operator kept deceiving the nurse that the babies would be brought to her later and up till August 18, 2023, the babies had not been delivered. “The complainant, on the faithful day went to meet her along Ojoto road where she earlier directed her. On getting there she gave her a girl of about six years old. The complainant refused to take the baby on the ground that it was not what they agreed on,” the police prosecutor said. According to the police, the girl she gave her had passed the age of adoption, adding that upon that reason, the complainant went to Nnobi Police Station and reported the matter. When asked if she has patent medicine licence, the beer parlour operator said the process for her to become a member has begun, adding that she had already committed some money to the chairman of the association. While pleading for leniency, the woman said she has already started refunding the N3 million, adding that she had paid N300,000 The presiding Chief Magistrate, Ken Nwoye lamented that there is so much child trafficking under the guise of adoption everywhere. He said: “Orphanages have become fertile grounds for child trafficking and some of the homes have teenage girls they pay to become pregnant and sell the baby when it is born. “These motherless babies homes are also centres of child trafficking as they sell babies and children to the highest bidder. Anybody who stays at home and pays and a baby is brought to her is a child trafficker. “Any person who wants to adopt a baby should go through the legal process, which is the Ministry of Social Welfare. “Doing illegal adoption is stealing and kidnapping. Those who want to adopt babies should not be desperate about it. Consult a lawyer who should guide you because he will follow the legal process. “From what is happening, many people are benefitting from this deal”. The magistrate said both the fake nurse who is a mother of three and the genuine nurse who is apparently fronting for yet to be identified person, would be charged to court for child trafficking.

  The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has rejected Niger junta’s three-year power transition plan. ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musa stated this during an interview with the BBC on Sunday. Daily Trust reports that General Abdourahamane Tchiani, leader of the Niger junta, had said in a televised broadcast on Saturday night that the army will hand over power to the civilian government within the next three years. But in the interview Abdel-Fatau Musa said that General Tchiani’s proposal is just a smokescreen for dialogue and diplomacy Earlier Saturday former Military Head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), led a delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to Niger in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to reach a peaceful solution with the Niger junta. The delegation met with Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine who received them at the airport and led them to the presidential palace. They later met with the ousted Niger’s president Mohamed Bazoum, after meeting General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the head of the junta. It was the first peace talk led by Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar that ECOWAS activated its standby force. It said Niger junta had ignored the ultimatum to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum.

  President Bola Tinubu has approved the redeployed Abubakar Momoh from the federal ministry of youth to the ministry of Niger Delta development. According to a statement on Sunday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Tinubu also redeployed Adegboyega Oyetola as the minister of marine and blue economy. STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU ANNOUNCES NEW MINISTER-DESIGNATE FOR NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT; DIRECTS MINOR AMENDMENTS TO MINISTRY NOMENCLATURE AND PORTFOLIO ALLOCATION President Bola Tinubu has approved the redeployment of Engr. Abubakar Momoh from the Federal Ministry of Youth to the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Development. The Federal Ministry of Youth is to be re-assigned to a Minister-Designate soon. The Ministers-Designate allocated to the Federal Ministries of Transportation, Interior, and Marine & Blue Economy have been reshuffled as follows: (A) H.E. Adegboyega Oyetola is redeployed as the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy (B) Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo is redeployed as the Honourable Minister of Interior (C) Hon. Sa’idu Alkali is redeployed as the Honourable Minister of Transportation Furthermore, both Ministers of State in the Oil & Gas sector are now domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources with the following designations: (i) Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri is the Hon. Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources (ii) Hon. Ekperipe Ekpo is the Hon. Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources The President approves the renaming of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Ecological Management as the Federal Ministry of Environment. All aforementioned changes take immediate effect by these directives of the President. Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) August 20, 2023  

  Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has been urged to as a matter of urgency disband the Anambra State Road Transport Management Agency (ATMA) and Ocha brigade The Campaign for Democracy (CD) in South East and Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE) in a press release Wednesday said that the State road management agency is doing nothing to manage roads in the State, rather than the leadership and operatives of the agency were busy extorting motorists to enrich themselves. Speaking at the briefing the chairman of CD in the South East and Executive director of HURIDE, Dede Uzor A Uzor alleged that ATMA operatives target car owners from who they know they would collect huge sums of money, instead of commercial bus drivers who actually cause obstruction and park indiscriminately on the major roads and streets within the metropolis. The groups said they extort money ranging from N20,000 to N100,000 from their victims, lamenting that the attitude of the personnel of ATMA was the reason many people don’t come to Onitsha with their vehicles because of fear of molestation and extortion. Another deadly group is the Ocha Brigade which has abandoned its statutory responsibility of decongesting traffic and embarked on revenue generation, both the ATMA and OCHA Brigade needs to be disbanded or sent to refresher training. The rights groups said most traders residing in Asaba, Delta State don’t drive their vehicles to Onitsha again because of the unwholesome activities of ATMA personnel, rather they park them around “God is Good Motors” and cross over to Onitsha with Keke or commercial buses. They said at Onitsha Bridge these ATMA boys preoccupy themselves with infringing private cars who drive on the double lane but turned blind eyes to commercial vehicles because private cars pay them handsomely. The ATMA personnel and the CSOs also target private cars which carry numbers outside Anambra State numbers and South-East because they blackmail, intimidate and extort good money from them. ” They suppose to manage traffic but they are not doing that. They are just harassing motorists, extorting money from them and giving the State a bad name especially the under the bridge ” said the rights groups. They called for a new management for the agency which will flush out all the “hoodlums and undesirable elements” who constitute the agency now. Consequently, the rights groups asked the Governor to sack the Managing Director of ATMA, Mr Emeka Okonkwo, alias Konti, his management team and other personnel like Mr Nnamdi Emmanuel Aghadinaulo aka Ochudo and Mr Henry Ugochukwu Ezeji aka Dangerous Akwansa and others who are notorious for the callous way they deal with motorists and solely working for one KONJI who are based in Awka, Anambra and they release the one-way traffic ban under the bridge since Niger bridge has been open and traffic relaxed. “Their criminal activities have risen to apogee. They make more than N500,000 per day in Onitsha and N6m in a month but the money does not go into Government cover. It goes to their private pockets. Only a paltry sum goes to the coffers of the State Government”. Sometimes, said the CSOs, these people would deceive a motorist and ask him to follow a particular way or park somewhere, only to turn around and bounce and unleash terror on him and extort huge money from the person. “Before you know it, they have jumped into your car, some of them even steal your phones and cash in the process. Such an illegal outfit should not be allowed to thrive in Anambra State at this age we have a Professor as a Governor. Their Chief Executive Mr Konji’s line is unreachable and lacks human relations. It is unacceptable. He and his boys should be arrested and be made to account for the money they had extorted from people” said the rights groups. We call on the governor to disband ATMA and train a new set of people within 7 days of this statement, failure to adhere to our advice shall attract a massive protest to seek home our request. Dede Uzor advised.

  The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Saturday seized multi-billion naira worth of illicit drugs at a warehouse tucked in the midst of popular International Trade Fair Complex, Alaba, Ojo area of Lagos. This was disclosed in a statement released by the media officer of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday. According to Babafemi, 1.4 million (1,400,000) pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 826kgs; 3.2 million (3,200,000) pills of codeine with gross weight of 3,360kgs; and 2,841 cartons of codeine syrup containing 284,100 bottles with 28,410 litres of the psychoactive substance, with a combined street value of Four Billion Eight Hundred and Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N4,820,500,000) only were recovered from the warehouse owned by a wanted billionaire drug baron. He said that during the operation that lasted hours, a suspect, Paulinus Ojukwu, who is Chief Security Officer to the wanted drug baron who parades as automobile spare parts dealer, was arrested and now assisting ongoing investigation. The latest drug warehouse bust is coming on the heels of the arrest of a drug baroness, Faith Ebele Nwankwo, who was nabbed on Wednesday 9th August with Two Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand (2,750,000) pills of tramaking, a brand of tramadol 225mg and 250mg recovered from her residence at House 6, C close, 3rd Avenue, Festac area of Lagos and a warehouse located at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos. Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Friday 18th August intercepted Twenty Million US Dollar notes ($20 million) suspected to be counterfeit during a stop and search operation along Abaji – Lokoja Road, within the Federal Capital Territory. The suspected fake money was recovered from a bus coming from Lagos to Abuja, while the 53-year-old driver of the vehicle, Onyebuchi Nlededin was arrested. The previous day, Thursday 17th August, the NDLEA said that Jude Ndubuisi, 52, was arrested with 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine during a raid operation at Kabusa village, FCT. The suspect was initially arrested with 20.75kg cannabis on 7th July 2022 and was on court bail following his ongoing prosecution when he was nabbed for yet another drug crime. Another raid of two notorious drug joints within the FCT: Dei Dei and Tora-Bora Hills led to the recovery of 82.8kg skunk, 1.8kg rohypnol and 1.2kg diazepam on Wednesday 16th August. In Osun, NDLEA operatives in the early hours of Saturday, destroyed clusters of cannabis farms measuring about 3.49000 hectares (over 7.5 tons) at Mopatedo in Ifedayo local government area of the State. Two suspects: Sunday Otogbo, 40, and Peter Andel Makra, 35, were arrested inside the cannabis farms. Additional 30kg cannabis weeds and 16.9kg of cannabis seeds were also recovered from the farms. At least, three suspects: Ndubuisi Okorie, 44; Ebilima Emmanuel, 38, and Okechukwu Anthony Smart, 40, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 168kg cannabis consignment from them when their vehicle was intercepted along Owerri-Onitsha expressway, Imo state on Saturday 19th August. Another shipment of controlled drugs containing 6,000 capsules of tramadol, 1,200 tablets of swinol, 155 bottles of codeine syrup and 20 tabs of Molly was equally seized on the same road on Sunday 13th August while a follow-up operation in Oyigbo area of Port Harcourt, Rivers state led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Remigius Ogechukwu, 33. While a teenager, Boniface Odinakachukwu, 19, was apprehended with 99.4kg skunk at Isikwe Road, Achi in Oji-River LGA, Enugu state on Friday 18th August, a wanted teenage bandit, Aliyu Mohammed Altine, 19, was arrested by NDLEA operatives along Illela- Sokoto road with some wraps of skunk on Thursday 17th August. The suspect who is on the wanted list of the police has since been transferred to the police in Sokoto state for further investigation. While expressing his satisfaction with the professional conduct of the officers and men involved in the Lagos, FCT, Sokoto, Osun, Imo and Enugu operations as well as the results of the raids, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), charged operatives of the Lagos command to ensure that the fleeing baron is smoked out from his hiding to face charges. He urged them and their colleagues across the country to intensify the heat on drug cartels.

  Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to publicly instruct former governors who are now serving as ministers in his administration to stop collecting life pensions, exotic cars and other allowances from their states. SERAP urged him to “instruct the former governors to immediately return any pension and allowances that they may have collected since leaving office to the public treasury.” This was made known in a statement on Sunday signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare. The former governors who are now ministers in the Tinubu administration include Badaru Abubakar; Nyesom Wike; Bello Matawalle; Adegboyega Oyetola; and David Umahi. Others are: Simon Lalong; Atiku Bagudu; and Ibrahim Geidam. In the letter dated 19 August 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The appointment of former governors who collect life pensions while serving as ministers is implicitly forbidden by the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international legal obligations.” SERAP said, “You would be acting in the public interest by stopping former governors now serving as ministers in your government from collecting life pensions, especially given the current grave economic realities in the country.” The letter further read, “If the ministers that the president appoints are those who collect life pensions rather than serve the public interest, then that may show little about the conduct and integrity of the ministers, but speak volumes about the exercise of presidential power of appointment.” “Nigerians will judge you in part by the conduct, integrity and honesty of the ministers that you appoint to work in your government. Ultimately, the success of your government would depend on the conduct of the ministers that you appoint.” While many pensioners are not paid their pensions, former governors serving as ministers get paid huge severance benefits upon leaving office, and are poised to enjoy double emoluments on top of the opulence of political office holders.” “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.” “The exercise of your power of appointment ought to reflect ethical and constitutional safeguards and requirements, and the fundamental principles of integrity and honesty.” “Stopping the former governors from collecting double emoluments would be entirely consistent with the proper exercise of your constitutional power to appoint ministers.” Stopping the former governors from collecting life pensions would ensure that the country’s wealth and resources are used for the common good and benefit of the socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians rather than to satisfy the opulent lifestyle of a few politicians.” “Instructing the former governors now serving as ministers in your government to stop collecting life pensions from their states would also improve public confidence in the integrity and honesty of your government.” “Constitutional oath of office requires public officials to abstain from all improper acts, including collecting life pensions, that are inconsistent with the public trust and the overall objectives of the Constitution. A false oath lacks truth and justice. The oath statements require the oath takers to commit to uphold and defend the Constitution.” “According to our information, the following former governors are now ministers in your administration: Badaru Abubakar (former governor of Jigawa State and Minister of Defence); and Nyesom Wike (former governor of River State and FCT Minister).” Others include: Bello Matawalle (former governor of Zamfara State and Minister of State for Defence); Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola (former governor of Osun State and Minister of Transportation); and David Umahi (Minister of Works).” “Others are Simon Bako Lalong (former governor of Plateau State and Minister of Labour and Employment); Atiku Bagudu (former governor of Kebbi State and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning); Ibrahim Geidam (former governor of Yole State and Minister of Police of Affairs.” “The states currently implementing life pensions for former governors reportedly include Jigawa, Kebbi, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Yobe, and Rivers. Many of these states owe workers’ salaries and remain the poorest in the country.” “Several of the pension laws in these states include provisions for six cars every three years, a house in Lagos worth N750 million, and another in Abuja worth N1 billion, unrestricted access to medical attention, and pensionable cooks, stewards, and gardeners.” “Other provisions 100 per cent annual salaries of the incumbent governor, security operatives and police officers permanently assigned to former governors.” “SERAP notes that in your inaugural speech as president you promised that your administration will be guided by ‘the principle of the rule of law, a shared sense of fairness and equity’, and that ‘Nigeria will be impartially governed according to the constitution.’” These commitments are consistent with your constitutional duties under sections 5, 130 and 147, and oath of office, under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).” “By the combined reading of these provisions, your government has a legal obligation to appoint as ministers former governors whose conduct is entirely consistent and compatible with constitutional and international legal requirements.” “These constitutional provisions also require you to instruct the former governors to stop collecting life pensions and to return any pensions collected to the public treasury.” “The country’s international legal obligations especially under the UN Convention against Corruption also impose a legal commitment on public officials to discharge a public duty truthfully and faithfully.” “Life pensions for former governors serving as ministers are entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption.” “The convention specifically in paragraph 1 of article 8 requires you and your government to promote integrity, honesty and responsibility in the management of public resources.” “Furthermore, Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo in a judgment dated 26 November, 2019 also indicated that double emoluments for former governors are unacceptable, unconstitutional and illegal. Indeed, former governors collecting life pensions while serving as ministers would clearly amount to

  The multinational joint task force (MNJTF) fighting insurgency in the Lake Chad region says it has recorded mass surrender of insurgents. In a statement on Saturday, Abubakar Abdullahi, MNJTF spokesperson, said the development was a result of the intensified kinetic and non-kinetic operations adopted by the task force. “In the wake of escalated kinetic and non-kinetic operations by the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), coupled with a dwindling logistic supply in Boko Haram hideouts, mass surrenders rattle Boko Haram insurgents,” Abdullahi said. “Over a span of two days, from 14 to 15 August 2023, four key Boko Haram commanders, 13 main fighters, and a total of 45 family members laid down their arms and surrendered to troops of Sector 3 MNJTF in Cross Kauwa and Baga of Kukawa LGA. “Surrendered items include seven AK-47 Rifles, one FN Rifle (SLR), nearly 440 rounds of assorted calibre ammunition, and other essential tools of insurgency. “On the inaugural day of the recent mass surrender, 14 August 2023, two commanders, nine main fighters and 21 family members yielded to the relentless operations of troops stroked by the 19 Brigade in Cross Kauwa and 403 Amphibious Brigade in Baga. “They voluntarily surrendered six AK 47 rifles, one FN Rifle (SLR), 20 magazines (with two fully loaded), 12 rounds of 5.6-millimetre ammunition, two hand grenades, three Bandoliers, and 180 rounds of 7.62-millimetre ammunition amongst numerous items.” According to the spokesperson, two commanders, four fighters, and their 24 family members also laid down their weapons on Tuesday. He said the task force has asked the remaining insurgents to embrace peace and surrender before it’s too late, adding that the act provides the safest route toward peace and rehabilitation. In another development, the Borno government says the biometrics data capturing of repentant Boko Haram members has resumed after a hitch that led to a protest by some of them in Maiduguri, the state capital. Usman Tar, the commissioner of information and internal security, said a total of 6,900 repentant insurgents have been processed. He said this was done under the disarmament, demobilisation, deradicalisation, rehabilitation, reconciliation, and reintegration (DDDRRR) programme known as the “Borno model”. “The data processing process was scheduled to be conducted in 6 batches by a certified team of intelligence and ICT experts with utmost level of professionalism and confidentiality in data management,” Tar said. “However, due to a bridge in communication, those who were supposed to appear for the data capture at a later date appeared Friday, August 18, 2023, and this led to confusion at a camp where the exercise was being conducted. “The Borno government wishes to assure the public that the situation is under control and normalcy has been restored at the venue of the biometric exercise.”

  The leader of the mutineers who seized power in the Niger Republic, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, said on Saturday that his country does not want war, but will be ready to defend itself if necessary. “Neither the army nor the people of Niger want war, but we will resist any manifestation of it,” Tchiani was quoted as saying by the Al Jazeera broadcaster. He noted that the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States do not realise that Niger has become the key to containing the region from destabilisation against the backdrop of increased terrorist activity. Tchiani added that the sanctions imposed against his country were aimed at putting pressure on the rebels, and not at finding a solution to the current situation. In addition, Tchiani said that rebels do not seek to seize power in the country but rather seek to come to a solution that would meet the interests of the people. On Saturday, media reported that an ECOWAS delegation arrived in the capital of Niger and met with deposed President Mohamed Bazoum to assess the conditions of his detention. Later in the day, Reuters reported that the delegation also held talks with Tchiani. A coup took place in Niger on July 26 and Bazoum was ousted and detained by his own guard, led by Tchiani. Following the coup, ECOWAS suspended all financial aid to Niger, froze rebels’ assets, and imposed a ban on commercial flights to and from the country. In early August, during a summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, ECOWAS leaders agreed to activate a standby force to potentially compel the Nigerien military to reinstate Bazoum. On Friday, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs Abdel-Fatau Musah said that ECOWAS general staff chiefs had agreed on a date for the beginning of military intervention, but would not make it public. NAN