Crime Facts

Most Kidnappings In FCT Are Stage-Managed – Wike

  The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that most incidents of kidnapping in the nation’s capital were stage-managed by people. Wike stated this during a chat with journalists after a closed-door meeting with the Senate alongside the FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, on Wednesday on insecurity in the capital city. According to the Minister, kidnapping has reduced in the FCT following the arrest of the two most wanted notorious kidnappers. “Most of the kidnappings here are sometimes stage-managed by people. There are some internal arrangements. “Mind you the two most wanted notorious kidnappers, we have gotten them and that is why you see the level of kidnapping has reduced,” Wike said. The Commissioner of Police said corroborated Wike, saying that there has not been any kidnapping in the FCT for one month as the security operatives has dominated the forests. “For one month there has not been kidnapping in the FCT. We have used intelligence, and we have decided to dominate the forest because the FCT is bounded by for states that are crime prone,” CP Igwe said. The meeting with the Senate was prompted by summons issued by the Senate two weeks prior, requesting their briefing on security matters within the FCT, following a recent kidnap incident at the Galadima area of the Abuja metropolis. The Senate had reached this decision following a motion put forward by Senator Nwoko Ned Munir, representing Delta North. Senator Nwoko had emphasized the urgent necessity of bolstering security measures within the FCT.

DAILIES TOP STORIES: Nigerians lambast accountant general, commissioners over UK workshop

  Thursday 14 March 2024 N35,000 wage award: 30 states default, Labour fumes, pensioners threaten protest FG restores electricity to Niger, lifts sanctions, reopens border 17-year-old accused of N100,000 theft kills self Japa: Doctors fault FG ban on leave of absence FG plans fresh borrowing via Eurobond in June No Dime Will Be Paid As Ransom To Rescue Abducted Children – Tinubu Africa’s Share Of Global Trade Stagnant At 3% Amid Opportunities – Okonjo-Iweala 51 Southern Senators Elect Abiru As Forum Chairman Reps To Summon Dangote, BUA, Others Over Rising Cement Prices Anambra Govt’s Appeal Opposing Obiano’s Trial Irrelevant — EFCC CBN Allocates N100bn, Two Million Bags Of Fertilisers To Ministry Of Agriculture Nigeria’s Crude Oil Production For February Drops By 7.3% – OPEC Bauchi Gov Backs Senator Ningi, Says His Integrity Is Praiseworthy Humanitarian Crisis Grips North-West As 854 Children Die In MSF Facilities N15bn Fraud: Ajetunmobi Writes AGF For Out-Of-Court Settlement Soaring prices of food items killing us —Ekiti, Ondo, Osun market leaders CBN resumes agric funding with N100bn Israel Uses Starvation As ‘War Arm’ – EU Taraba Auto Crash Kill 10 As 15 Passengers Kidnapped Bandits Kill Villager, Kidnap 7 Women In Kaduna Insecurity: Zamfara Gov Bans Unlabelled Bread, Others U.S., others offer to assist in combating kidnapping FEC approves N759b for Obajana – Benin, Isheri-Ogun roads Aig-Imoukhuede appointed Access Holdings Chairman Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

NCAA bans private jet owners from commercial flight operations

  The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a warning to holders of Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) (private jet owners) to desist from engaging in commercial flight operations or face stiff penalties. This was contained in a statement, Wednesday night, signed by the Director, Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, in Abuja. He stressed that holders of PNCF are not permitted to use their aircraft for carriage of passengers cargo or mail for hire or reward (commercial operations or charter services). He noted that the instruction is in line with section 32 (4) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, adding that the NCAA will not hesitate to initiate enforcement actions against any PNCF holder found guilty of illegal operations with suspension, withdrawal or revocation of their Permit for Non-Commercial flight. The statement partly reads: “The public is hereby notified that it is illegal to engage PNCF holders for commercial purposes.” He hinted that NCAA officials have been deployed to General Aviation Terminals (GAT) and private wings of the airports to monitor activities of the PNCF holders. Restating NCAA’s stand on zero tolerance for violations of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023, Achimugu added that NCAA would continue to enforce strict compliance through the application of appropriate sanctions.

AIG-Imoukhuede Returns As Access Holdings Chair

  Access Holdings Plc has announced the return of Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede as its Non-Executive Chairman. He replaces Mr. Abubakar Jimoh who remains on the board as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Dinosaurs Spine at Hang Dong, Ta Xua, Son La seen from above Sunday Ekwochi, Company Secretary of Access Holdings, disclosed this in a notice to the Nigerian Exchange yesterday. “The return is in response to the untimely passing of the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, and following extensive consultations with key stakeholders, the Holdco Board unanimously decided to invite Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede to the helm of governance.” “With an illustrious career spanning several decades in the banking and finance sector, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede has proven to be an exceptional and influential leader, having admirably laid a solid foundation for Access Bank’s success as Group Chief Executive Officer between 2002 and 2013 ably supported by his partner and deputy, the late Dr. Herbert Wigwe, CFR who later succeeded him. “Under his stewardship, Access Bank grew its customer base from ten thousand to over six million with more than 5,000 employees and an asset base of USD $12 billion, achieving numerous milestones and becoming a globally recognized name. “Following his retirement as the Bank’s CEO in December 2013, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede cofounded the Tengen Family Office Limited which oversees a significant portfolio of investments and businesses in banking, finance, insurance, technology, real estate, and energy,”the notice read. Speaking about his return, Mr. Abubakar Jimoh past Chairman, said: “Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede’s appointment to the Board and subsequent election as Chairman is a landmark development for Access Holdings. All our board members are excited about our future’’.   Responding, Aig-Imoukhuede said: “I am thrilled to be back in active service to the Access Group ecosystem. I am confident that working with our directors, our exceptional team of executives and our best-in-class banking and finance professionals, we will deliver outstanding value to our esteemed stakeholders. I am determined that our shared vision which Dr. Wigwe gave everything for, will be realized.”

We recorded 9000 infractions on pipelines in one year, says NNPCL boss Kyari

  Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has said they recorded 9000 infractions on oil pipelines in one year. Kyari said this when the House of Representatives Special Committee on Oil Theft went on an oversight function at the headquarters of NNPCL headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday. According to him, from 2022 to date, they had deactivated 6,465 illegal refineries. He said they have also removed 4,876 illegal connections to pipelines out of 5,570 that were discovered. “Some of the scale of the infraction that we see is unbelievable. We are not able to deal with it. When you remove one connection, the next day in the same location, someone will replace it. “It is obvious that crude oil theft is almost an end-to-end issue in Nigeria; it is very obvious that everyone is involved. “In most of these locations, they are less than a hundred meters from the settlement. Some are even less than a hundred meters from the local government headquarters,” he said. He said the key issue has been security and that the NNPCL moved to curtail the menace of pipeline vandals by incorporating all security agencies into a single platform, including private security. According to him, no country surrenders the protection of such critical assets, which are the source of income, to non-state actors. He said: “It is very obvious that despite all the integrity issues with our pipeline and our facilities, we have capacity beyond two million barrels per day without doing anything. “But today, we are struggling to meet the budget estimate of 1.6 million barrels per day. This by no means is related to crude oil theft. The core issue that is affecting the other core issue is crude theft. “No one will produce oil, knowing fully well that he cannot dispose of it, and that’s why no one is putting money into it. “In 2022, it became so obvious that if something dramatic is not done, we are going to run into trouble. On a specific date, our production came down to as low as 1.1 million barrels per day,” he said. The Chairman of the Special Committee, Hon Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, said it was established and common knowledge that operating oil and gas pipelines in Nigeria constituted a herculean challenge. He said it was saddening that these infractions do not stop with the pipelines He said the daily breaches are also recorded at the oil well heads, flow stations, loading, and export terminals, among others. He said the opacity and non-transparency of regulatory activities at the crude oil export terminals were alarming. He said: “We are compiling the facts and figures. Instances, where approvals are hastily granted to vessels involved in crude theft just to cover official complicity, are reported. “Incidences of undeclared liftings are noted, and all these and several other infractions, particularly in our offshore marine environment, contribute to the huge volume of crude oil theft being reported.”

Binance says it restricted 281 Nigerian accounts in 2022

  The largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, stated that it restricted 281 accounts belonging to Nigerians in 2022 due to money laundering concerns. The exchange said it also collaborated with the Federal Government to protect users from illicit activity. This information was disclosed in a statement published on its website on Wednesday. A few weeks ago, Binance announced its decision to stop naira-to-dollar exchange services following a fallout with Nigerian authorities, who had accused the platform of manipulating the country’s foreign exchange rate. The exchange mentioned that its team visited Nigeria twice in the fourth quarter, conducting comprehensive law enforcement training sessions for officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. With over 30 investigators in attendance for each full-day session, Binance said it provided a detailed overview of its operations, training Nigerian law enforcement on the intricacies of exchanges in the digital asset ecosystem. “During these sessions, various case studies were presented, including those involving suspects from Nigeria. The positive feedback received from Nigerian investigators underscored their strong desire to sustain this cooperative format, the platform noted. “Binance’s financial crime compliance teams processed 626 information requests related to Nigeria or from local law enforcement agencies between June 2020 and February 2024. “The Nigeria Police Force, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and INTERPOL Nigeria were among the many organisations that benefited from the information we supplied in their efforts to combat crimes ranging from money laundering, kidnapping, extortion, and scams,” it said. The exchange also conducted a three-hour online workshop for 70 EFCC officials in August 2023. The workshop’s main objectives were to interpret Binance’s operational responses and determine how best to use our help. “We worked closely with the authorities to safeguard users from illegal activity in a well-publicised action that occurred in January 2022, restricting 281 accounts that belonged to Nigerian residents because of worries about money laundering,” it added. The crypto exchange recognises Nigeria’s thriving fintech ecosystem, anticipating that nearly half of all investments in Africa from 2019 to 2023 will be directed to the country. “Operating alongside established global players like Binance is deemed vital for the cohesive growth of this ecosystem, fostering a supportive environment for dynamic local startups,” the company noted. Binance explained that collaboration with regulators and law enforcement in Nigeria would accelerate its financial technology adoption. According to the exchange, the suggestion is to rely on top-tier partners with a proven track record of productive partnerships with both Nigerian and international authorities. Looking ahead, Binance expressed eagerness to continue positive interactions, aiming to contribute to the prosperity of every Nigerian through ongoing collaboration and support for the nation’s fintech evolution.

FACTCHECK: Letter by Swaziland King calling for citizenship from South Africa nations over shortage of men, untrue

By Pascal Ibe  A letter where the Eswatini( Swaziland) monarch called for citizenship from South Africa nations over shortage of men in the country has continued trend on social media since Monday. The letter dated 8th March ,2024, had alleged that King Mswati III, the King of Eswatini calked for citizenship from South Africa nations excluding Malawi, over shortage of men in his Kingdom. The letter also contained that every men in Swaziland must marry at least five wives. On Monday, @FonyokaPondoka on X post the letter and wrote, ”I’m moving to Swaziland”. This posted gained over 76k views and 125 reposts. https://twitter.com/FonyokaPondoka/status/1766865864043688436?t=xc4VtQ-lIb71G9WkbPsBSw&s=19 Also, on YouTube on Monday, A YouTuber named SWAHILI NATION posted a 10 mins video to discuss the alleged letter by Swaziland King calling for citizenship. The video on YouTube had 14k views. This letter also currently being spread across in many WhatsApp groups in Africa. SWAZILAND (ESWATINI) Swaziland is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its north, west, south, and southeast. At no more than 200 km (120 mi) north to south and 130 km (81 mi) east to west, Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa; despite this, its climate and topography are diverse, ranging from a cool and mountainous highveld to a hot and dry lowveld. The population is composed primarily of ethnic Swazis. The prevalent language is Swazi (siSwati in native form). The Swazis established their kingdom in the mid-18th century under the leadership of Ngwane III. The country and the Swazi take their names from Mswati II, the 19th-century king under whose rule the country was expanded and unified; its boundaries were drawn up in 1881 FINDINGS However, the government of Swaziland (Eswatini) has disowned the letter, labelling it fake. On it’s official X account, the government of Swaziland wrote, ”FAKE INFO ALERT]: The public is notified that this circulating notice is fake.” https://twitter.com/EswatiniGovern1/status/1766891342452392152?t=tbBdC4oEUu9BKf2zgnAuYg&s=19 In a report by Capitalfm.co.ke, it stated that the kingdom of Eswatini has been forced to deny reports it was offering citizenship to men from other southern African countries because of a shortage at home Eswatini denies reports kingdom faces shortage of men APA NEWS reported that Eswatini has denied reports that it is offering citizenship to men from other southern African countries due to a shortage of men in the kingdom. Eswatini denies “scarcity of men” citizenship offer VERDICT The letter in circulation that Swaziland King, Mswati III is calling for citizenship from other southern African countries due to shortage of men in the kingdom, is FAKE and  MISLEADING.

Tinubu Vows No Dime Will Be Paid As Ransom To Rescue Abducted Children

  President Bola Tinubu has said that no ransom will be paid for the rescue of the children abducted from Kuriga in Kaduna State. The President stated this today at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting which held at the Presidential Villa Abuja. Briefing State House Correspondents after the FEC meeting, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammad Idris said President Tinubu also reiterated his directive to the defence to ensure that the children are rescued and brought back safely to their homes. He also said the President made his stance against payment of ransom to kidnappers and that the current administration is determined to tackle kidnapping and other criminal activities in the country. According to him, under the current government, kidnapping, especially mass abduction will not be tolerated

Househelp stabs boss to death in Lagos 7 days after resuming work

  Tragedy struck in the Gbagada area of Lagos, after a yet-to-be-identified woman was stabbed to death by her househelp , in her apartment on 29, Kiniun-ifa street sawmill. No one could tell when exactly the fleeing househelp identified simply as Peter, allegedly committed the murder. But the lifeless body of the woman, according to information gathered by Vanguard, was discovered on Saturday, March 9, 2024, by her son who came visiting.   When Vanguard arrived at the building yesterday, it was under lock and key. The deceased was said to be the only occupant in the building. There were three shops in front of the building. A resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “The woman’s son, upon arriving at the compound, went straight to his mother’s apartment, only to find her lifeless body on the staircase, with blood all over”. “A long piece of wood suspected to be the murder weapon was also found. By then, the body has started swelling, suggesting that the woman might have been killed days before”. Vanguard also gathered that the fleeing househelp resumed work a week before tragedy occurred. Information at Vanguard’s disposal had it that a relative of the agent that brought the fleeing househelp had been arrested, as the unidentified agent was nowhere to be found. Efforts to speak with the deceased son failed as he was too devastated to speak. Policemen at the Ifako Police division were said to have visited the scene and evacuated the corpse. When Vangurd visited the division, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO Owolabi Sefunmi, referred this reporter to the Lagos State Police Command, to see its spokesman. However, when the Lagos state public relations officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin was contacted, he stated that the househelp had been arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCIID, Panti.

Hisbah arrests 11 for eating during day of Ramadan fast in Kano

  The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested 11 persons for violating the Ramadan fast by eating during the day. The arrests were made during the annual Ramadan enforcement operations, which included searches of eateries and markets. The board’s Public Relations Officer, Lawal Ibrahim, confirmed the arrests in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday.   Lawal said the arrests were made on Tuesday across the city, particularly near markets. He said, “The individuals arrested include 10 men and one woman, who was caught eating from her groundnut-selling stall.” He added that non-Muslims are exempted from such enforcement activities, but if found selling food during fasting hours to Muslims, they could be considered in violation. “We apprehended 11 persons on Tuesday, including a lady selling groundnuts who was seen eating from her wares, after some persons alerted us. The other 10 persons were men and were arrested across the city, especially close to markets where a lot of activities happen. “We don’t arrest non-Muslims because this doesn’t concern them, and the only time they could be guilty of a crime is when we find out they cook food to sell to Muslims who are supposed to be fasting,” he said.