A football coach working with a male football team in Osogbo, Osun State, simply identified as Adebisi, has been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Security while attempting to sodomise one of his players. Sources in the Isale Osun Area of Osogbo, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for safety reasons, said the suspect was arrested in the area last Wednesday by DSS operatives, who acted on tip-off. It was further learned that Adebisi met the victim, identified simply as Michael during a training session at Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo, and took him to a secluded place, where he attempted to touch his genitals. But while that was on, a guard working in the school, said to be moving around, suddenly appeared, and thus frustrated the plan of the coach. The victim, while narrating his encounter with the coach said, “What happened is that I met Coach Adebisi at the playground of Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo. “I know him and some of his ex-players very well. I went there to train. After training, he took me to a secluded area within the compound and he wanted to touch my genitals. “I was displeased. I didn’t allow him. When I told a few other players, they condemned his action and advised me that I should block him and stop chatting with him. “I also told an elderly person who asked me to unblock him but the matter was reported to the DSS office in Osogbo. “So, I played along and we started chatting again. About two Saturdays ago, he invited me to Fakunle Playground again.” He continued, “After training, he took me to a secluded area and showed me his private part. While that was on, a security guard passed by and saw us. “But the guard didn’t know what was going on. We left the place. Last Wednesday, he invited me to a place around Isale Osun, Osogbo. I told the DSS operatives about it. “I met Adebisi in a house there. I was told the place belonged to his brother. I was with him in the room. “We were gisting, but later, he moved towards me and told me to remove my clothes and trousers and I obeyed him. “For the period I was with him, I was on chat with the captain of my team updating him about happenings. “He was touching my genitals. Because he felt I was not aroused, he brought out his mobile phone and played porn videos to put me in the mood. We were still in the room when some DSS operatives came in and arrested him. Since then, he has been in their custody.” When contacted, the Director, of DSS’s Directorate of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Dr Peter Afunaya, confirmed Adebisi’s arrest. Afunaya in a message sent to our correspondent said, “The investigation is still ongoing. Besides him, many other human traffickers were intercepted.”t

  The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has declared a couple, Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade and Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade, wanted for running a cocaine cartel from India. This follows the arrest of four members of the syndicate in Lagos, where a Sports Utility Vehicle was recovered and two houses traced to them were sealed for forfeiture to the Federal Government. This was made known in a statement signed by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, and shared on its website on Sunday. The statement read, “A couple, Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade (alias Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun) and Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade (alias Bolarinwa Rashidat Ayinke), who runs a cocaine cartel from India has been declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency following the arrest of four members of the syndicate in Lagos where a Sports Utility Vehicle was recovered and two houses already traced to them sealed for forfeiture to the Federal Government. “Two members of the syndicate: Imran Taofeek Olalekan and Ishola Isiaka Olalekan were arrested on April 3, 2024 following their bid to export 3.40kg cocaine on a Qatar Airlines flight going to Oman through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos. “While Imran was the courier conveying the drug consignment to Oman, Ishola recruited him for the head of the cartel, which investigation has now revealed to be Alhaji Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade whose Indian residence permit bears Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun based in India. So This Happened (248) Reviews the Africa Magic Choice Award0.00 / 0.00 “Efforts to dismantle his network in Nigeria paid off after five weeks of surveillance and follow up operations when another member of the syndicate, Hamed Abimbola Saheed, who works directly with the baron was arrested on Tuesday 14th May at Abule Egba area of Lagos. It was indeed Saheed who lodged Imran in a hotel a day before his aborted trip to Oman and equally dropped him and Ishola at the Lagos airport the day they were arrested.” During a search of Hamed’s house, NDLEA operatives were said to have recovered some phenacetine, a cutting agent for Cocaine, weighing 900 grams. He was said to have confessed that the recovered substance was what was left of the consignment Imran was taking to Oman the day he was arrested. His arrest led to a follow up operation at the home of the Owoalade couple at 20, Eyiaro Street, Ogudu Orioke, Lagos where another suspect was arrested and a new model Toyota RAV4 SUV marked FKJ-773 JJ belonging to Rashidat and additional 400 grams of Cocaine recovered in addition to already prepared suitcases to be used for illicit drug concealment, digital weighing scales and other paraphernalia. NDLEA officers also intercepted two parcels at a courier firm in Lagos on May 15. The parcels contained cocaine (587g) hidden in steel bolts bound for China and amphetamine concealed in vape pens and shea butter heading to the UK. The statement added that an attempt to export 3.6kg of cannabis (loud strain) hidden in 36 water flasks to Dubai was foiled at a logistics company in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on May 16. The owner of the consignment, Emeka Nwadiaro (aka Mega), was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State, on the same day following a swift follow-up operation. The statement added, “While NDLEA operatives in Lagos intercepted a Mercedes Benz bus loaded with 840kg cannabis and arrested the driver, Samuel Henry, at Olojo in Ojo LGA, Lagos, another suspect, Lawal Adam was nabbed along Otukpo road, Aliade, Benue state on Friday 17th May with 75,000 pills of opioids including tramadol and exol-5. Two suspects: Olisa Etisi, 32, and Jonathan Umeh, 25, were arrested along Owerri – Onitsha road, Imo state following the discovery by NDLEA operatives of a big gas cyclinder used to conceal six blocks of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 3.85kg. “In Borno State, 70-year-old Adamu Mohammed was arrested at Mbulamel, Biu LGA on Thursday, 16th May with 2kg cannabis and 33.55grams of diazepam, while Gaddafi Sani, 27, was arrested with 30 kilograms of cannabis along Abuja-Kaduna road, Kaduna.” NDLEA officers in Yobe State seized a large consignment of drugs from a petrol tanker on the Potiskum-Damaturu Road. The drugs, which included 91.1kg of opioids and 13kg of cannabis, were hidden in secret compartments and were heading for Maiduguri, Borno State. The driver, Ismaila Ali, was arrested in connection with the discovery. NDLEA officers also arrested four suspects in connection with the seizure of 2,025 pieces of improvised explosive devices (IED) materials in Niger State. Two suspects, Abdulrauf Shitu Adeyemi and Asmiyu Rahim, were arrested on the spot, while Husaini Abdullahi and Nazifi Abdullahi were arrested in Sokoto and Kano respectively, following a follow-up operation. The suspects and the explosive materials have been transferred to the appropriate security agency for further investigation. In a separate operation, Muhammad Lawal was arrested in Katsina state with 1,000 ampoules of Pentazocine injection. A total of 105kg cannabis was on Friday, May 17, recovered from a house at Obola community, Owan West LG, Edo State, and a suspect, Gloria Oris, arrested when NDLEA officers raided the area. In Kwara State, two suspects: Abdulganiyu Karaman, 55, and Sunday Abel, 37, were on Saturday 18th May arrested with 83kg cannabis and tramadol at Boriya, Baruten LGA, and Offa respectively. NDLEA officers also recovered 105kg of cannabis from a house in the Obola community, Edo state, and arrested a suspect, Gloria Oris, on May 17th. Additionally, two suspects, Abdulganiyu Karaman and Sunday Abel, were arrested in Kwara State on May 18, with 83kg of cannabis and tramadol.

  No fewer than 386 people, mostly women and children, have been rescued by the Army in Sambisa forest 10 years after their abduction. The acting GOC 7 Division, Brig. Gen. AGL Haruna, made this known while speaking to newsmen on Saturday at the outskirts of Sambisa forest in Konduga Local Government Area after welcoming the troops that conducted the 10-day operation. Haruna said that the operation tagged “Operation Desert Sanity 111” was to clear Sambisa forest of the remnants of all categories of terrorists as well as provide some of them eager to surrender as observed the opportunity to do so. “Our effort is to ensure that we clear remnants of terrorists in the Sambisa and give those willing to surrender the opportunity to surrender. “With this operation, we envisage many of them will surrender as they have started. “We also rescued some civilians; as of yesterday, we rescued 386 and I am sure the number will increase by today,” Haruna said. The GOC, who addressed the troops on the message of Chief of Army Staff, lauded their performance and professionalism exhibited during the operation and urged them to sustain the tempo. Some of those rescued who spoke, said they have been in captivity for the past 10 years. Troops from 21 Special Armoured Brigade, 26 Task Force Brigade, and 199 Special Forces participated in the operation. NAN

  About 15 people have been reportedly killed and many others injured after a truck crashed into four buses at the Imo State University (IMSU) junction in Owerri, the state capital. According to TheCable, witnesses said the truck on Saturday evening collided with vehicles coming in the opposite direction due to a brake failure in the Ugwu-Orji area. “I witnessed the incident with my two eyes. The trailer was carrying stones and was driving at a high speed when it failed to stop at the IMSU junction,” a witness told TheCable. “What happened was that the driver was trying to avoid hitting those passengers and mini-buses that usually occupy the junction when it veered off the opposite lane, hitting more than four small buses loaded with passengers. “I am very sure that 15 people died at the spot, while several others who sustained various degrees of injuries were rushed to the hospital. It was terrible.” Another witness said there was no presence of security personnel when the incident happened to offer immediate service to the accident victims. “I was surprised that for more than one hour after the accident, the police that always mount roadblocks and even officers of the Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, whose state office is near the junction, never showed up to help out,” he said. “It was good-spirited individuals and drivers that offered to carry the victims to the hospital and morgue. “But if it is to collect money on the road and molest innocent citizens for no just reason, you will see them everywhere. “Does it mean that the government no longer has an emergency response team whose duty it is to offer immediate help to accident victims? “If there was such a person to attend to the victims, the situation could have been remedied. It is unfortunate.” Egejuru, spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Imo, could not be reached for comments at the time of filing this report

  Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has sacked all transition committee chairmen across the 21 local government areas of the state. This is contained in a letter titled ‘Expiration of tenure and handover to Heads of Local Government Administrations (HLGAs),’ dated May 17, 2024, and signed by the state Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Collins Nwabunwanne. The order takes effect from Monday, May 20, 2024. The letter read, “Following the expiration of your tenure as Transition Committee Chairman, you are hereby directed to handover the affairs of your Local Government Council to the Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA), in your respective Local Government Councils. “This directive takes effect from Monday, 20th day of May, 2024. Thank you for your service to the state. “All replies to be addressed to the Honourable Commissioner.” Details later

  The family of David Ukpo, who was taken to the United Kingdom by the former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, for a kidney transplant has cried out as they have not heard from their son David, following the conviction and sentencing of Ekweremadu. The former deputy senate president and his wife, Beatrice, were sentenced on March 23, 2023, at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, United Kingdom. Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison, while his wife was sentenced to four years and six months in jail for organ trafficking. Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and Obinna Obeta, a doctor who acted as the middleman, were alleged to have attempted to convince doctors at the Royal Free Hospital in London to perform an £80,000 transplant on 21-year-old David Ukpo, who was presented as the cousin of their daughter Sonia Ekweremadu. Speaking with family members in their village in Ndioffia Ishieke of Ebonyi State, where David Ukpo hails from, they stated that they have not heard from their son since the incident broke out and they don’t know if their son is dead or alive. The 46-year-old mother of David Ukpo, who gave her name as Mary Ukpo, stated that the last time she saw her son was in November 2021, when he visited the village and since then, she has not heard from him or seen him. Speaking to our correspondent at the family compound in Ndioffia Ishieke village in Ebonyi State, she said, “I don’t know if my son is alive or not because I have not heard from him since 2022. “The last time I saw him was in 2021 when he came to the village. I am begging anyone who knows where my son is to please grant me access to speak to him. “We heard Ike Ekweremadu has been sentenced to prison, but until this very moment, we have not heard from our son. It’s been years now, and I don’t know if he is alive or dead. David is my son and first child. I just gave birth to another child in his absence, which makes it seven younger ones that are next to him.” With tears, the stepmother of David, who gave her name as Ukpo Felicia, said since David’s departure, the father has been sick with his leg swollen. She added, “In our tradition, when the second wife gives birth to her first child, it is the duty of the first wife to adopt that child. David is the first child of his mother, which makes it my responsibility as the first wife to look after David. He’s a calm person. “The first year he left for Lagos, he sent me about N18,000 for feeding, and since his departure, I feel empty within me. We do not know whether he is alive or dead. We just want to have access to speak with our son. The father has been sick and cannot even move his body.” Further findings from the community members revealed that David Ukpo was born in the early 2000s, with no specific date or year mentioned. The village shares a border with Benue State and Cross River State via a river called Onu-Enyim River, with a popular Missionary Church called Nigeria Reform Church domiciled in the community. The people of the community are regarded as the Izzi people, with farming and palm wine tapping being their major occupations. Our correspondent also gathered that the community lives in darkness as there is no electricity connection and no tarred road leading to the community.

  Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria’s 36 governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Mr Nyesom Wike “over their failure to account for the spending of trillions of FAAC allocations collected by their states and the FCT since 1999.” The suit followed reports that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024. They shared N1.208 trillion in April. States collected N398.689 billion in March while they collected N403.403 billion in April. In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/666/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr Wike to publish spending details of the FAAC allocations collected by their states and the FCT since 1999 including the list and locations of projects executed with the money.”   SERAP is also asking the court to “compel the governors and Mr Wike to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission [ICPC] to probe any allegations of corruption linked to the allocations and to monitor how the money is spent.” In the suit, SERAP is arguing that, “Nigerians ought to know in what manner public funds including FAAC allocations, are spent by the governors and FCT minister.” According to SERAP, “Opacity in the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by the governors and Mr Wike would continue to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens.” SERAP is arguing that, “trillions of FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT have allegedly gone down the drain. The resulting human costs directly threaten the human rights of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians.” SERAP is also arguing that, “Without the information on the spending details of the FAAC allocations, Nigerians cannot follow the actions of their states and the FCT and they cannot properly fulfill their responsibilities as citizens.” SERAP is also arguing that, “Directing and compelling the governors and FCT minister to provide the information sought and widely publish the spending details of the FAAC allocations collected by them would serve legitimate public interests.” According to SERAP, “The failure by the governors and the FCT ministers to account for the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by them is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.” The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “States and the FCT should be guided by transparency and accountability principles and proactively account for the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by them.” “Secrecy in the spending of FAAC allocations collected by the governors and the FCT minister also denies Nigerians the right to know how public funds are spent. Transparency in the spending would allow them to retain control over their government.” “The governors and FCT minister have a legal obligation to provide the information sought including the list of specific projects completed with the FAAC allocations collected, the locations of any such projects and completion reports of the projects.” “The information sought should also include details of the salaries and pensions paid from the FAAC allocations collected, as well as the details of projects executed on hospitals and schools with the FAAC allocations.” “Despite the increased FAAC allocations to states and FCT, millions of residents in several states and the FCT continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and services.” “The reported removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the exchange rate by the Federal Government has translated into increased FAAC allocations to states and the FCT. However, there is no corresponding improvement in the security and welfare of millions of Nigerians.” “FAAC allocations received by the states and the FCT are reportedly characterised by mismanagement, diversion of funds, and abandoned projects. FAAC allocations have also been allegedly spent for other purposes such as election campaigns and political patronage.” “Publishing the documents on the spending of FAAC allocations by the states and the FCT would promote transparency, accountability, and reduce the risks of corruption in the spending of the funds.” “Publishing the documents would also enable Nigerians to meaningfully engage in the implementation of projects executed with the FAAC allocations collected.” “The report that some 140 million Nigerians are poor suggests corruption and mismanagement in the spending of trillions of naira in FAAC allocations collected by the states and the FCT.” “According to our information, the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state and local governments for March 2024.” “State governments got N398.689 billion while local government councils got N288.688 billion. The mineral-producing states received an additional N90.124 billion (13% of mineral revenue). In February, states collected N336 billion.” “According to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the federal, states and local governments shared N10.143 trillion from the Federation Account as statutory revenue allocations in 2023, with states collecting N3.585 trillion.” “Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.” “Section 16(2) of the Nigerian Constitution further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’” “Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the states and FCT to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.” “Nigeria has also made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources.” “Nigerians are entitled to the right to receive information without any interference or distortion, and the enjoyment of this right should be based on the principle of maximum disclosure, and a presumption that all information is accessible subject only to a narrow system of exceptions.” “The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article

  Sunday 19 May 2024 Usyk beats Fury to become undisputed world heavyweight champion Marketers demand bulk supply as Dangote ends fuel import June Okuama/Okoloba: Women protest against return of armed youths Soldiers Storm Banex Market In Abuja After Assault On Colleagues Federal Projects: Our Region Has Been Abandoned – North East Govs Tinubu appoints governing board members for 111 tertiary institutions Rivers: NSCDC uncovers illegal refinery, 100,000 litres of stolen crude oil Governance began only three months ago due to Rivers crisis – Fubara FG warns against recruitment of unqualified teachers as 12, 539 write qualifying exam Father of two electrocuted in Bayelsa Afenifere Decries Insecurity, Asks Tinubu To Invoke Executive Order For State/LG Police EFCC Hands Over $22k Recovered From Convicted Fraudster To FBI Insecurity Forcing Manufacturers Out Of Business – MAN DG Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Finalise Regional Alliance Project Our feats have beaten 8-year record – Fubara Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…