Niger coup leaders have vowed to prosecute ousted President Mohamed Bazoum for alleged treason and security risk in the West African country. This was made known in a statement by the junta’s spokesperson Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane, read on national television late Sunday, RFI said. Abdramane said the ousted president would be prosecuted “for high treason and undermining the internal and external security of Niger.” The junta spokesperson also said there was misinformation campaign against the putschists to “derail any negotiated solution to the crisis in order to justify military intervention in the name of Ecowas.” The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on Niger in response to the coup and has not ruled out using force against the army officers who toppled the democratically elected Bazoum on 26 July. Last Thursday, the regional bloc approved the deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niger as soon as possible. It, however, added that it remains committed to finding a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Bazoum, his wife, and adult son have been held at the president’s official Niamey residence since the coup, with international concern mounting over their conditions in detention.

  The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes has facilitated the extradition of Samuel Ogoshi and his brother, Samson, to the United States of America, to face prosecution for sexually extorting numerous young men and teenage boys in the Western District of Michigan and across the U.S. The Commission, which began the extradition proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, against the Ogoshis alongside one Ezekiel Ejemeh Robert over exploitation of minors and production of pornography, following a request by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, facilitated the transfer of the suspect to the FBI on Sunday.   The Ogoshis and Ezekiel were indicted in a United States Federal Court on December 1, 2022 on charges of exploitation of minors, resulting in death, conspiracy to sexually exploit minors by causing the minors to produce child pornographic images that the defendants now use to blackmail them. A statement made available to Vanguard on Monday by the EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspects are also charged with conspiracy to distribute child pornography, which borders on sending images to minors, their families and friends, as well as conspiracy to commit stalking through the Internet. The offences carry a minimum of five years and maximum 20 years imprisonment. Specifically, Samuel was charged with causing the death of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay of Marquette, Michigan, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in March 2022. According to investigations, the suspects conspired to conduct a sex-based extortion of minors and adults in the United States of America. The trio allegedly hacked some social media accounts, posing to be young attractive women to entice unsuspecting victims to send their sexually explicit photographs. These pictures were then used to blackmail the victims, thereby forcing them into making huge financial payments. While the Ogoshis were arrested sometime in February, 2023 around the Ojo axis of Lagos, Ezekiel was picked up in Nasarawa by operatives of the EFCC. The extradition of the third defendant, Robert, is, however, still pending.

  Dada Itopa, a pastor in Ondo State, has been hacked to death by two suspected ritualists. Itopa, 45, was reportedly killed on his farmland at Ebira camp in Ipele community of Owo Local Government Area after the suspects disguised as labourers to assist him on the farm. It was gathered that the suspected ritualists also attacked the 30-year-old wife of the pastor, Mrs Bose Dada, with a machete on the same spot. Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, the Ondo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), who confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday, said the pastor had requested the service of the suspects to assist him weed off his farmland for N11,000 in workmanship. The PPRO revealed that the suspects followed the deceased to his farm at Ipele but shortly after, one of them identified as Omatai requested a cutlass from the cleric under the pretence that he wanted to use it to work on the farm, but hacked him to death. She, however, noted that one of the ritualists identified as Mohammed Musa had been arrested in connection with the attack while his co-suspect, Omatai was on the run. “The wife of the cleric tried to cry for help but she was also stabbed on the head by Musa, a friend of Omatai, and she sustained a serious injury. The victim is currently in a hospital. “In the course of the investigation, Mohammed Musa confessed that they carried out the attack because they needed to deliver a human head to a herbalist who requested it in Ipele,” she said. The police spokesperson said an effort was ongoing to arrest the herbalist who ordered the human head, and arrest the fleeing suspect.

  A 57 year old father of three, Taye Agbaje, has reportedly confessed to how he brutally butchered two kids belonging to his younger brother, Idowu Agbaje around Kemta Area of Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. In a viral video, Agbaje disclosed how he hacked the two boys, Promise, nine year old and his seven-years old younger brother, Testimony, inside the bush and left their corpses there. Agbaje while being queried in the video, denied killing the innocent kids for money-making ritual purposes, but couldn’t explain why their private parts were also missing. According to sources, the suspect, who had since been arrested by the police, had on August 6, went to the victims’ house at Kemta Area of Abeokuta while their parents were not at home, and took them away on his bike. After the parents returned home and found the children missing, their father, Idowu Agbaje, raised an alarm. A neighbour later said he saw the two boys on a motorcycle with his elder brother. A resident who didn’t want his name in print said, “Taye denied knowing the whereabouts of the boys. When people said they saw him with the boys, he said he only took them to the market”. He was however said to have been taken to Kemta Police Division, where he confessed to havr killed the boys. Agbaje thereafter took the police to the bush where he slaughtered the victims and left their bodies. “We all saw the bodies before the police evacuated them to the mortuary. Taye did not give any particular reason for his action, he only said the mother of the kids had spiritually taken his glory for her husband. This is very shocking,” the resident narrated. The Spokesperson of the police in the state, SP Omolola Odutola confirmed the incident, describing it as incomprehensible. Odutola said the suspect had been quizzed and taken into custody. “The suspect didn’t give any specific reason why he killed his brother’s children. There was no sign of remorse. He was just blaming Satan, Satan”, Odutola added.

  Terrorists operating in the Dandume forest area of Dandume Local government area of Katsina state have killed 2 persons, a man, and a woman while abducting an unspecified number of others in a fresh attack. A source who told AIT news said, the incident occurred on Sunday night, August 13 at about 8 pm after the evening prayers when the terrorists stormed the area. According to him, they came in through the path leading from the old cemetery around one Rabiu Mai Atampa house. He added that the people of the area are now scared for their safety and called on the state government to come to their rescue. Police authority is yet to confirm the incident as of the time of filing this report.

  Monday 14 August 2023 I retired from IBB regime to preserve my integrity – Odigie-Oyegun I bathed with human skull to boost my business -Suspect CBN staff loans jump by 113%, hit N40bn Attacks on Ganduje cost Kwankwaso ministerial slot, says APC spokesman ICPC grills agric ministry officials over massive fraud Kill Corruption, Not Nigerians, Tunde Bakare Tells Tinubu NJC Dismisses Fake Letter Claiming To Surrender Powers To Governors Akeredolu Still in Germany, Not Yet Back, Says Aide Niger Junta Signals Readiness For Diplomacy, Decries ECOWAS Ultimatums Hawaii Fire Death Toll Nears 100, Anger Grows I Warned That ‘Emilokan’ Politics Would Breed Imperial Presidency – Bakare Air Strikes Target Oil Thieves In Niger Delta, IPOB Elements, Terrorists In Northeast Niger Coup: Pro-Democracy Activists Hold Peaceful Demonstration In Katsina Emefiele Must Not Be Made A Scapegoat, Bakare Tells FG Defence Headquarters Denies Reports Of Coup Request All Petitions Against Tinubu’s Victory ‘Terribly Hopeless’ – APC Secretary Basiru COUP: We struck to avert threat against Nigeria, Niger — Gen Tchiani Troubled sky: Niger’s junta forces airlines to abandon airspace, take longer routes Nigeria, other Africa airlines share 2.1% of global passenger traffic Coup: Using military force to remove Niger junta dangerous — Labour Survey: 62% of Nigerians see country moving forward under Tinubu despite economic hardship Road Crashes Claim 4,387 Lives In 6 Months – FRSC Farmers Flee As Bandits Invade Niger Villages Investigator probes CBN staff, consultants, NIBSS, NSPMC SERAP sues Akpabio, Abbas over ‘plan to spend N110 billion on bulletproof cars, others’ B’Haram vows to recapture territories recovered by troops NURTW: NLC threatens to picket police HQ over harassment Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  About five senior officials in the Department of Farm Inputs Supports Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development were arrested by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged diversion of funds. They were said to have been arrested around 9 am on Thursday in a sting operation which lasted for about one hour in their office at the 5th Floor, Bank of Agriculture Building, Central Business District in Garki, Abuja, It was learnt that the ICPC detained four of the officials for five days before they were later released. The director among them was said to have been released on health grounds. The PUNCH learnt that the arrest has created tension among the staff of FISS and other parastatals in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. A source said the investigation was connected with the diversion of funds meant for monitoring exercise and sensitisation programmes. The situation was said to have hampered the monitoring and evaluation of farm inputs. It was learnt that over N200m was found in the bank account of one of the officials being grilled, while over N100m was found in the bank account of one of his children. Also, over N250m cash was found in the Abuja house of one of the suspects. Investigation by the ICPC detectives revealed an inflow of over N60m in six months into the bank account of one of the suspects. The ICPC has also seized landed properties, including a bakery and one herbal hospital. When contacted, the spokesperson for ICPC, Azuka Ogugua, said the investigation was still on. She said, “We don’t give updates on our cases to journalists. We don’t do media trials, that was why I didn’t respond (to your several enquiries. How do you now expect me to start disclosing to you? It doesn’t make sense. I can’t tell you; that is wrong, it’s unethical. How can I be telling you the outcome of our investigation? “When the case goes to court, it will be in the public domain. There is nothing I can discuss, it will be tantamount to media trial.”

  Three major illicit drug syndicates have been taken down by operatives of a special unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), following various intelligence-led operations across parts of Lagos state. In the wake of the raid, NDLEA officials arrested of an alleged baroness and four other kingpins with multi-billion naira worth of Cocaine, Opioids and Loud recovered from their hideouts. A female head of one of the syndicates, Faith Ebele Nwankwo was arrested on Wednesday 9th August at her residence, House 6, C close, 3rd Avenue, Festac area of Lagos shortly after she returned from a warehouse at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin where she loaded eight cartons of tramadol 225mg into an unmarked white Honda Pilot SUV. Authorities say that a search of her residence and the warehouse led to the recovery of Two Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand (2,750,000) pills of tramaking, a brand of tramadol 225mg and 250mg packed in 39 cartons weighing 1,916 kilograms. The drugs and the SUV were recovered while the suspect was taken into custody. In another operation targeted at a group of transnational syndicate involved in importation, exportation, distribution, and dealing in Cocaine and Canadian Loud, operatives of the same Special Unit of the Agency on Friday 4th August tracked the drug syndicate to Atlantic Nominee Estate in Lekki- Ajah area of Lagos where a blue Toyota Highlander SUV was loaded with 8.49kg of cocaine and 10.3kg Canadian Loud for distribution by the duo of Urama Chinemelum Precious, 32, and Adelakun Ilelabayo Oluade, 55. A follow-up operation at the residence of Chinemelum at House 7, Road 7, Lagra estate, Eti-Osa, Lagos led to the recovery of additional 18 blocks of Loud weighing 18.5kg. The following day, Saturday 5th August, operatives of the Special Unit went after another syndicate involved in importation, distribution and diversion of ephedrine hydrochloride, a precursor chemical used for the production of methamphetamine, following intelligence that members of the cartel were planning to divert 25 kilograms of the substance. Two members of the syndicate: Udeh Vincent Ogbonna, 53, and Okonkwo Ifeanyi Uzozie, 50, were arrested at a commercial bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos where they were attempting to send the concealed substance to the South East. A body search conducted on the two suspects led to the recovery of Three Thousand ($3,000) US Dollars found on Udeh Vincent Ogbonna. In operations across four other states of Ogun, Ondo, Edo and Nasarawa, NDLEA operatives recovered over 13,391.8 kilograms of skunk. No fewer than 1,955kgs of the illicit substance packed in 139 jumbo bags and stored in the warehouse of a wanted notorious drug dealer, Lekan Jimoh (aka Konmo Konmo) in Ado Odo Ota area of Ogun state were recovered in the early hours of Saturday 12th August in collaboration with officers and men of the Nigerian Army. In Ondo, Ogbu Paul Odey, 30; Daniel Osidi, 34; John Iyage, 41; Friday Simon, 28; and Friday James, 24, were arrested in connection with the seizure and/or destruction of over 10,325.5kgs of cannabis sativa in Iju and Ala forests, in Akure area of the state between Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th August. While 22-year-old James Aga was arrested during the raid of an uncompleted building on the outskirts of Utese town in Ovia North East LGA of Edo State on Friday 11th August with 10kg skunk, 976kg of the same substance was recovered from the building in addition to the recovery of four motorcycles. In an earlier operation in Utese forest on Tuesday 8th August, at least 46.545kgs of skunk were recovered and 1.581146 hectares of cannabis farms destroyed while two suspects: Onyelunisue Azuka, 48 and Abraham Ayomide, 30, were arrested. Similarly, in Nasarawa state, 49-year-old Umar Abdullahi, was arrested on Friday 11th August with 64.8kgs of cannabis sativa in Doma LGA, while NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, on Wednesday 9th August intercepted a 4.5kg consignment of Loud coming from the United States at a courier firm in Lagos. In his reaction to the clinical dismantling of the three drug syndicates and arrest of their kingpins, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the Special Unit for being pro-active and pragmatic in the operations. He also applauded their colleagues in Ogun, Ondo, Edo and Nasarawa Commands as well as those of DOGI for their zeal and professionalism. He charged them and their compatriots across the country to remain vigilant and focused.

  The death toll in Hawaii from the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century was expected to cross the 100-mark Sunday, fueling criticism that an inadequate official response contributed to the heavy loss of life. Officials updated the toll to 93 late Saturday, but warned the figure was likely to rise as recovery crews with cadaver dogs continued the grim task of searching burned out homes and vehicles in the epicenter of Lahaina. The historic coastal town on the island of Maui was almost completely destroyed by the fast-moving inferno early Wednesday morning, with survivors saying there had been no warnings. When asked Sunday why none of the island’s sirens had been activated, Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono said she would wait for the results of an investigation announced by the state’s attorney general. “I’m not going to make any excuses for this tragedy,” Hirono, a Democrat, told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We are really focused, as far as I’m concerned, on the need for rescue, and, sadly, the location of more bodies.” More than 2,200 structures were damaged or destroyed as the fire tore through Lahaina, according to official estimates, wreaking $5.5 billion in damage and leaving thousands homeless. “The remains we’re finding are from a fire that melted metal,” said Maui Police Chief John Pelletier. “When we pick up the remains… they fall apart.” Among the ruins in Lahaina, a town of more than 12,000 and former home of the Hawaiian royal family, an iconic, 150-year-old banyan tree remained standing but severely burned, AFP journalists saw. President Joe Biden said on Sunday he was “looking at” the possibility of visiting the island. Questions Over Alert System The wildfire is the deadliest in the United States since 1918, when 453 people died in Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to the non-profit research group the National Fire Protection Association. The death toll surpassed 2018’s Camp Fire in California, which virtually wiped the small town of Paradise off the map and killed 86 people. Maui suffered numerous power outages during the crisis, preventing many residents from receiving emergency alerts on their cell phones. No emergency sirens were sounded, and many Lahaina residents have spoken of learning about the blaze because of neighbors running down the street. “The mountain behind us caught on fire and nobody told us jack,” resident Vilma Reed, 63, told AFP. “You know when we found that there was a fire? When it was across the street from us.” Reed, whose house was destroyed by the blaze, said she was depending on handouts and the kindness of strangers, while sleeping in a car with her daughter, grandson and two cats. In its emergency management plan last year, the State of Hawaii described the risk wildfires posed to people as being “low”. Some residents who fled the flames have also expressed anger at a roadblock put up preventing them from returning to their homes. Maui police said members of the public would not be allowed into Lahaina while safety assessments and searches were ongoing — even some of those who could prove they lived there. Some residents waited for hours hoping to be allowed in to comb through the ashes or look for missing pets or loved ones. When asked about growing anger at the response, Hirono told CNN she understood the frustration because “we are in a period of shock and loss.” Maui’s fires follow other extreme weather events in North America this summer, with record-breaking wildfires still burning across Canada and a major heat wave baking the US southwest. Europe and parts of Asia have also endured soaring temperatures, with major fires and floods wreaking havoc. Scientists say human-caused global warming is exacerbating natural hazards, making them both more likely and more deadly. AFP

  Air power’s ubiquitous tendencies through its speed, range and flexibility again came to fore as various Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft simultaneously decimated criminal elements operating in various parts of the country. NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in a communique on Saturday disclosed that in the Niger Delta Region, air strikes were targeted at the nefarious activities of oils thieves which has continued to affect the general environment of the Region as well as the oil output of the Nation. As a follow up to previous air recce missions undertaken, NAF aircraft under Operation Delta Safe on 11 August 2023, conducted air interdiction missions at an illegal refining site situated Southwest of Bille, a coastal town in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State. Same day, air strikes were also extended to a well-known IPOB Camp in Orsumoghu in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State. Intelligence had revealed that IPOB elements in makeshift camps were sighted preparatory to an impending attack on innocent citizens when the need to effectively engaged them. The strike was subsequently carried and deemed successful. Similar air strikes were also carried out same day by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai at a location about 1.5km East of Arra, a once-deserted terrorists’ hideout near Sambisa Forest. Earlier reconnaissance on the location had revealed terrorists massing up at the location which had hitherto been cleared of terrorists’ activities about 6 months ago. There were strong indications that these terrorists had fled from locations around Lake Chad after the areas came under intense bombardment by NAF aircraft. The location east of Arra was consequently attacked to decimate the terrorists and deny them settling at the location and using same as a staging point. Footage of the aftermath of the strike later revealed it was successful as several terrorists were neutralized and structures destroyed, while the few surviving terrorists were seen scampering away in disarray. At the end, their ability to attack friendly forces as well as innocent civilians were degraded.