Crime Facts

After lending lover 500,000, 20 year-old female UNILORIN student committ suicide

  A 20-year-old student of the University of Ilorin, Sanni Hameedat, reportedly committed suicide after lending a boy she met on the social media platform, Snapchat, the sum of N500,000. According to Rubiks, the private hostel management she resided in before her demise, in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Wednesday, Hameedat was undergoing her SIWES programme before the incident happened. The management asserted that the cause of her death was not unrelated to the pressure from the app agents, who were demanding fast repayment, coupled with her brother’s inability to assist her financially, which led to depression. “The cause of suicide was traced to financial misappropriation. She was entrusted with a significant sum of money by her mother. She crossed paths with a guy on Snapchat and developed a friendship. “When the boy claimed that his mother was battling breast cancer and urgently needed N500,000, the compassionate and emotional lady decided to help him by lending him half of the N1 million she held for her mother. And the boy promised to repay the borrowed money. “However, when her mother needed the money back, the boy abruptly cut off all contact, blocking her. This left her deeply troubled and in order for her to make up the missing N500,000, she resorted to borrowing money from various apps.” Hameedat, therefore, managed to gather N450,000 from the loan apps, adding her savings of N50,000 to make up the borrowed N500,000. The management further maintained that she was reported to have ingested a bottle of pesticide popularly known as Sniper the previous night, and her roommate (name withheld), who had retired to bed early, woke up in the middle of the night to discover her in distress while she was foaming from her mouth and also vomiting. “Alarmed, the roommate sought help, and she was rushed to UITH before being declared dead,” the statement concluded. Meanwhile, both the Dean, Student Affairs Unit, Prof M.T. Yakubu, and the Head, Corporate Affairs, Kunle Akogun of the institution, could not comment on the issue in terse messages sent to them as they both claimed to be partaking in the 37th and 38th combined convocation ceremony which kickstarted on Monday, October 16, 2023. But when our correspondent contacted the Student Union President, Ologundudu Adesunkanmi, popularly called Royal Prince, he confirmed the incident, corroborating the narration of the hostel management. He said, “The Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Student Affairs are very much aware of the issue, and they have reported to the appropriate authority to begin a full-length investigation into the matter. It is sad that the university community lost her in such a devastating manner.” Details later… Credit: Punch

Senator Abbo Apologises To Akpabio

  Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo, who represented Adamawa North in the National Assembly, has apologised to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio over his unguarded remarks accusing him of being responsible for his removal from the seat. This trails Monday’s judgement by the Court of Appeal sacking the Adamawa Senator of the All Progressives Congress, APC. It would be recalled that on Monday, the Senator shortly after the judgment, accused Akpabio of being involved in his removal from the Senate. He further stated that there are other Senators that have been marked to go down including Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Abia State. But Abbo in an interview on Arise television on Tuesday night publicly apologised to Akpabio. He said the press statement issued on Monday shortly after the Court of Appeal judgment was premature adding that he acted in error due to insufficient information at his disposal. According to Abbo, the apology offered to Akpabio was necessary after his discussion with him on Monday night. He said, “Yesterday night I had a discussion with the Senate President, my brother colleague, distinguished Senator Akpabio, and I’m convinced that he’s not involved. “This is because we met yesterday and let me go by his word, he said: ‘Senator Abbo, I swear by my mother’s grave that I’m not involved in this, I don’t even know that.’ For my patriotism to tell me that he has sworn by his mother’s grave, a woman that he loves so much; a woman who brought him to this world I don’t see a reason why he would lie to me. “Again, the additional intelligence taken in and we have an abundance of information. This morning after discussing with the Senate President yesterday I apologised to him. It is only honorable that when something is wrong you have to clear his name to say yes we acted in error due to the available information at our disposal. “My President, my distinguished brother and friend, I’m sorry. I believe you are not involved and I value every word you said that you’re not involved.” Weighing in on the matter of members in the senate planning to impeach Akpabio, the sacked senator denied the report saying there was never a plan embarked by his former colleagues to remove the senate president from the seat. He explained that there were infractions made in the allocation of committees while he was there but after he met with Akpabio and the principal officers in the Senate they promised that the mistakes would be corrected and it was acted upon the next day. “There was no plan to impeach the Senate President Akpabio but there was plan to make him do that which is right and when the issue came up that time I met with the Senate President and we had a meeting between 1:00am and 3:00am and I told them the infractions that they made in the allocation of committees that time when I was in the Senate but I am no longer there. But they agreed and assured me that yes there were mistakes and they were going to correct it and when they went to the chamber the next day they dissolved all the vice chairmanship of the committees. I am not a serving Senator now but I want to tell you that there was no plan to impeach Akpabio. I support him to deliver on the mandate of his people,” he added.

Wanted Suspect In Murder Of Nigerian Man In India Arrested Four Years Later

  Indian police have apprehended one of the suspects involved in the murder of a 35-year-old Nigerian man in Nalasopara, Mumbai, four years ago. According to the Times of India, the accused, Kancha, aged 28, was found residing in the same town under a false identity, as confirmed by a crime branch official on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. With the arrest of Kancha, also known as Roshan Bechain Mandal and Ashfaq Mohammad Sheikh, the number of individuals in custody in connection with the crime has risen to two, while two others remain at large. The tragic incident involved the discovery of the body of Joseph, also known as Chindiniju Amechi Wilson, on a road in the Pragati Nagar area of Nalasopara on October 16, 2019. Following this incident, fellow Nigerians residing in the locality expressed their outrage, resulting in the damage of parked vehicles and demands for the apprehension of the perpetrators. During their investigation, the police identified four men for their alleged involvement in the crime and arrested Nasir Khan. Subsequently, a charge sheet was filed against him in court, as confirmed by an official from the Vasai crime branch (unit II). Police received a tip-off that the accused, Kancha, alias Roshan Mandal, had relocated to Bengaluru six months after the crime and had assumed a new identity. He was found residing in Nalasopara under the name Ashfaq Sheikh, with altered physical features. Police authorities have determined that the murder was linked to a drug deal.

Senate confirms Olukoyede, Shehu, Hammajoda appointments

  The Senate has confirmed the nominations of Mr. Ola Olukoyede, Halima Shehu and Muhammd Hammajoda. President Bola Tinubu had nominated Olukoyede as the chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Shehu as the national coordinator, National Social Investment Programme Agency, and Muhammd Hammajoda as the new secretary of the nation’s anti-graft agency. The appointees were confirmed in the upper chamber on Wednesday. Details later…

Three Killed, District Head, 11 Others Kidnapped In Fresh Zamfara Attack

  At least three persons have been killed and 11 others injured in an attack by armed bandits in the Bagega community of the Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State. During the attack, the district head of the community, his eight-year-old daughter and about 10 others were also abducted by the gunmen. Although police authority in the state are yet to confirm the attack as the spokesperson for the command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, said he will make his findings and get back to our correspondent. A resident of the community, who escaped during the attack, Abdullahi Bagega, told Channels Television on Wednesday that the bandits invaded the community on motorcycles on Monday evening and started shooting sporadically, forcing residents to scamper for safety. He said three persons were killed, 11 persons critically wounded and are receiving treatment at various hospitals. Abdullahi added that some of the residents who fled during the attack are still missing. “They kidnapped the Sarkin Gabas of our community and his small daughter of about eight years old, six other persons and four people from a village before Bagega. The total is not up to 50, we also have 11 persons critically injured right now.”

Ashiru replaces Umahi as Senate Deputy Leader

  The Senate on Wednesday appointed Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru of the All Progressives Congress representing Kwara South as its new Deputy Leader of the Senate. The Senate also appointed Senator Nwebonyi Onyeka as the new Deputy Chief Whip. Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the new appointments at plenary. Ashiru, who was hitherto the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate was elevated to the position of deputy leader of the Senate which became vacant, following the appointment of Senator Dave Umahi as Minister of Works by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Details later…

Katsina Gov’s Aide Dies In Auto Crash

  Shamsuddeen Malumfashi, a Senior Special Assistant on Islamic Education to Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State, is dead. Malumfashi died on Tuesday afternoon in an auto crash around Rigachikun area in Kaduna State and was buried at a cemetery behind Kwandala General Hospital, in Malumfashi town. He is survived by his father, Abubakar Yusuf, and his mother, Jamila, together with three wives and four children. Governor Radda in company of the member representing Malumfashi Constituency in the Katsina State House of Assembly, Aminu Ibrahim; Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Bello Kagara; and some of his personal aides attended the funeral prayer and interment of the deceased on Tuesday. They were received at the family house of the deceased at Layin Yan Bori, in Malumfashi, by the Galadiman Katsina, District Head of Malumfashi, Sadik Mahuta; alongside the District Head of Mahuta, Bello Yan Mama. Also at the family house to receive the governor were the father of the deceased and the Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Area, Maharazu Dayi.

Biden Says US Will Work With Israel To Spare Civilians In Gaza

  President Joe Biden said Wednesday the United States would work with Israel to prevent civilian deaths as it pounds Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising to make efforts. “We will continue to have your back. As you work to defend your people, we will continue to work with you and partners across the region to prevent more tragedy to innocent civilians,” Biden said after meeting Netanyahu’s war cabinet in Tel Aviv. Netanyahu renewed charges that Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and launched a deadly assault inside Israel on October 7, deliberately puts civilians near targets in the hope of using them as shields. But Netanyahu told Biden: “As we proceed in this war, Israel will do everything it can to keep civilians out of harm’s way. “We have asked them and we’ll continue to ask them to move to safer areas. We will continue to work with you, Mr. President, to assure that the minimum requirements are met,” Netanyahu said. Biden is paying a solidarity visit to Israel following the deadly Hamas assault which has prompted an Israeli air campaign and the threat of a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. On the eve of his visit, a strike on a hospital in Gaza killed between 200 and 300 people, according to health authorities in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. They blamed Israel for the strike, which has provoked fury around the Arab world. Israel said that Islamic Jihad militants misfired a missile, a version supported by Biden. “The entire world was rightfully outraged,” Netanyahu said of the hospital strike. “But this outrage should be directed not at Israel, but at the terrorists.” AFP

Eight Feared Dead, 52 Others Injured In Yobe Accident

  About 8 travellers have reportedly been killed while 52 others were injured in an accident involving a trailer and a canter truck along Potiskum-Nangere road in Yobe State. The travellers were on their way to popular Potiskum cattle market when one of the trucks lost control. An eye witness, Adamu Hassan, told Channels Television’s correspondent the corpses have been evacuated to Potiskum Specialist Hospital while others are still at the General Hospital, Sabon Garin, Nangere as at time of filling this report. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state are yet to confirm the incident, but its personnel and that of State Emergency Management Agency were sighted in evacuating the victims to nearby health facility.

US Sanctions 10 Hamas Members, Financial Facilitators

  The US Treasury announced sanctions on 10 Hamas members, operatives and financial facilitators Wednesday, including a key commander, as conflict rages after the militant group’s surprise attack on Israel. The new sanctions target individuals based in Gaza and elsewhere, including Sudan, Turkey, Algeria and Qatar, the US agency said in a statement. “The United States is taking swift and decisive action to target Hamas’s financiers and facilitators following its brutal and unconscionable massacre of Israeli civilians, including children,” said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a statement. Hamas launched a surprise assault inside Israel on October 7, killing 1,400 people. After Israel declared war and began retaliatory strikes, some 3,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Hamas health authorities. The sanctions come as President Joe Biden visits Israel on Wednesday. “The U.S. Treasury has a long history of effectively disrupting terror finance and we will not hesitate to use our tools against Hamas,” Yellen added. She said that Washington will “continue to take all steps necessary” to deny Hamas the ability to raise funds for carrying out “atrocities.” The US has previously designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. To date, the Treasury said it has taken aim at nearly 1,000 individuals and entities connected to terrorism and terrorist financing by the Iranian regime and procies including Hamas and Hezbollah. AFP