May 2024 – Page 32 – Crime Facts

Post Date : May 15, 2024

Rivers Crisis: Two Commissioners Tender Their Resignation Letter

Amidst the crisis rocking Rivers State, the Commissioners for Education, Professor Prince Chinedu Mmom and Environment, Hon. Austen Ben-Chioma have resigned their membership of the State Executive Council. Prof. Mmom and Ben-Chioma a known loyalist of former governor Nyesom Wike communicated their resignation via a letter dated May 15, 2024. Professor Mmom referenced a “toxic” working environment as his reason for resignation, stating that such an environment would make it impossible to achieve “my set targets for the Education sector in the State.” The former Commissioner, however, thanked Governor Siminalayi Fubara for the opportunity to serve in his administration and wished him well. The letter read, “It is a truism that a calm, safe and friendly environment would stimulate efficient service delivery and enhanced productivity. “It is however unfortunate to note that my current work space has become toxic and no longer guarantees a favourable environment to enable me realize my set targets for the Education sector in the State. “There is loss of trust, animosity and sharp division among colleagues in the same cabinet which is unhealthy and very unfortunate. “I want to thank Your Excellency for the opportunity to serve in your cabinet and wish your administration well. “Kindly accept the assurances of my esteemed regards.” Also, Ben-Chioma who didn’t adduce any reason for his resignation, thanked the governor for giving him the opportunity to serve. “I hereby tender my resignation as the Hon. Commission for Environment, Rivers State on this day the 15th May, 2024. “I want to sincerely appreciate your Excellency, for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the State Executive Council. My decision to resign is due to the political crisis befalling our dear Rivers State and other personal reasons. “It was a privilege to have been of service to you in your administration and wish you all the best in your tenure. “Thank you and please accept my warmest regards.” Professor Mmom was among the Commissioners that resigned from the Fubara cabinet last year during the heat of the political crisis in the state, before the intervention of President Bola Tinubu. He returned to the Fubara administration as Commissioner for Education, but has publicly shown that his loyalty lies with the former Governor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Post Date : May 15, 2024

New Naira Printing: Court Grants Emefiele N300 million Bail

A Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in Maitama has granted former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, a N300 million bail following his arraignment on a four-count charge bordering on printing new Naira notes without observing due process. The former CBN governor pleaded not guilty when the charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, was read. Other conditions attached to the bail include that he should produce two sureties who must each possess titled property within the Maitama area of the FCT. Justice Anenih ordered the defendant to deposit his travel documents with the court, adding that he should not travel outside the country without the permission of the court. The judge adopted the conditions attached to a similar bail earlier granted Emefiele by Justice Hamza Muazu (another judge of the FCT High Court), before whom he is being tried on another criminal case. According to the judge, it would suffice if Emefiele was able to produce the certified true copies (CTCs) of the documents he submitted in fulfillment of the bail earlier granted by Justice Muazu. She adjourned till May 28 for the commencement of trial.

Post Date : May 15, 2024

Nigerian Bags Life Sentence For Killing Wife In UK

A 48-year-old Nigerian man, Olubunmi Abodunde, who murdered his wife, Taiwo, with a skateboard and blamed his loss of control on medication has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the United Kingdom. The incident occurred in their Newmarket home, resulting in Taiwo’s death from catastrophic brain injuries in November 2023. He, however, admitted to killing Taiwo, who suffered “catastrophic brain injuries”, the BBC reports. The Ipswich Crown Court noted the intensity of the attack that led to her death at their Exning Road residence. Abodunde faces a minimum of 17 years in prison before being considered for parole. The court learned that the day before Taiwo’s death, there was a domestic incident resulting in Abodunde’s arrest. He was under bail conditions prohibiting contact with his spouse. The next morning, despite these conditions, Abodunde went to the family home to retrieve a mobile phone. Taiwo, a mother of three, was returning home from her overnight shift as a health care assistant. Prosecutor Stephen Spence KC told the court that Abodunde was aware of his wife’s shift pattern and CCTV showed she had arrived back at about 09:12. The court was informed that two officers had attended the property at about 09:20 to speak with Mrs Abodunde about the previous day’s domestic incident. Spence stated, “Only the defendant now knows what happened. The officers repeatedly knocked on the door and notified them of their presence but got no response or heard any calls for help.” However, between 40 and 50 “thuds” were heard and it was believed to be Abodunde attacking his wife. Officers were given clearance by senior police officials to enter the property at 09:45, the court was told. Spe4nce added, “When they entered the front door, they immediately found the lifeless body of Mrs Abodunde with her skull smashed in.” Meanwhile, a postmortem examination revealed that Taiwo had suffered “catastrophic brain injuries”. She also had injuries that were consistent with her body being “stamped on” as well as being hit with a skateboard. This was found at the property covered in blood and fragments of skull. The court was told the victim had also been strangled. Meanwhile, the defendant could be heard sobbing from the dock as Spence addressed the court. Police forced their way into the home after hearing bangs. “It seems to me that he was waiting for confrontation. There is no debate that there was not going to be confrontation in my view,” he stated. Akudolu said Abodunde “was a very well-respected man” both here in the UK and in Nigeria where the couple had previously moved from. He had been a local councillor in Nigeria and had a local street in the country named after him. The court heard the couple had a “history of frequent disputes over bills and money” with some “low-level violence” involved. Akudolu told the court that “not a day will go by that [Abodunde] does not regret the misery” that he has caused. In his ruling, Judge Levett described Taiwo’s killing as “ruthless, violent, savage and heartless”. Levett said Abodunde had lied to officers telling them his wife had attempted to attack him with a knife the day before he murdered her, adding that Abodunde also claimed she had tried to beat him, but no evidence was found to substantiate this, the court was told. While Levett spoke, Abodunde could be seen from the dock with his head in his hands while sobbing. The Judge added that there had been “no self-defence at all” on Abodunde’s part, saying he had heard “no remorse other than sobs from the dock”. Following the murder, Suffolk Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to previous contact with the couple. It said earlier this month, two officers were advised they were being investigated for gross misconduct over potential breaches of the standards of professional behaviour. Another officer is under investigation for breaches amounting to misconduct. An IOPC spokesman said, “This does not mean disciplinary proceedings will necessarily follow. Our investigation remains ongoing.” With BBC reports.

Post Date : May 15, 2024

NCoS denies establishing hotel — but says it’s personnel’s own

The Nigerian Correctional Service NCoS has dismissed as untrue, online reports that it has established a hotel in Abuja, urging the public to be wary of misinformation. Service Spokesman, Abubakar Umar, an Assistant Controller, disclosed this in a statement Wednesday in Abuja. He said a malicious report making the rounds in some sections of the media has it that the Nigerian Correctional Service NCoS has just built a magnificent hotel. According to him, the said report is not only misleading, but also targeted at misinforming the public. He said for the avoidance of doubt, the said hotel was built in 2021 “And it is exclusively owned by the Correctional Cooperative Society COCOS), a Cooperative Society for all personnel of the Service which was formed in the year 1996”. “The Cooperative Society operates a Microfinance Bank that provides financial soft-landing to both serving and retired personnel with the aim of improving their welfare through the provision of soft loans and other financial services. “The Cooperative Society also serves as a fallback welfare system for retired and deceased personnel, while those who have been dismissed from Service get back their due entitlements upon disengagement. Presently, all such payments of entitlements to beneficiaries are up-to-date. The Cooperative Society has acquired housing estates, providing personnel, serving and retired, the opportunity to own personal houses without hassles. “The said hotel has been opened for business since its establishment in 2021, and located along Bill Clinton Drive Airport Road, Abuja. In terms of funding and day-to-day administration, the hotel is owned by COCOS and managed as a corporate entity. The hotel has so far provided employment opportunities for many youths, and attracted commendations from dignitaries both within and outside. “In his familiarization tour of the Service’s National Headquarters upon assumption of office, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo commended the Service for the initiative of establishing the hotel and enjoined other institutions to emulate the Nigerian Correctional Service in this regard. “The Controller General of Corrections (CGC) hereby advises the general public to disregard the said report as it is meant to cause chaos where none exists. He enjoins the public to patronize the hotel as it provides excellent services at competitive prices. “News reporters are, however, advised to confirm the sources of their information regarding the Nigerian Correctional Service via the Public Relations Officer as well as other official channels before publication”, he added.

Post Date : May 15, 2024

Man Sets Kano Mosque On Fire During Prayers

A yet to be identified man has set a mosque on fire at Laraba Abasawa in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State. Daily Trust reports that the incident, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, left worshippers injured. Members of the community were observing the ‘Subh’ prayer when the arsonist struck. According to a member of the community who asked not to be named, “the man used petrol and lit fire while the people, about 40 of them were praying. He locked the mosque after the fire.” “It took time for people outside to get aware of the incident and rescue the victims who were struggling to break out.” At least 20 worshippers, who reportedly sustained serious injuries, have been rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano. Details later…

Post Date : May 15, 2024

Emefiele Arraigned For Printing N684m Notes With N18.96bn, Pleads Not Guilty

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, arraigned a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele for approving the printing of N684.5m notes at the rate of N18.96bn. Emefiele was arraigned before Justice MaryAnn Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High court on four counts. He pleaded not guilty to the four counts when it was read to him. Moving his application for bail, his counsel, Mahmud Magaji, asked the court to grant him bail on self recognition and on the same grounds and conditions of bail already granted him by a sister court led by Justice Hamza Muazu. He added that Emefiele would always be present in court to face trial. In the four counts filed against him, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele disobeyed the direction of law with intent to cause injury to the public during his implementation of the naira swap policy of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The anti-graft agency also accused Emefiele of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of N124.8 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation. Wednesday’s arraignment brought to three the number of charges pending against the former CBN governor. On November 17, 2023, Emefiele was arraigned before Justice Hamza Muazu on a six-count charge of procurement fraud to which he pleaded not guilty. He was also accused of abusing his office by approving a contract for the acquisition of 43 vehicles totalling N1.2 billion from 2018 to 2020. On April 8, 2024, the EFCC also arraigned the former banker alongside one Henry Omoile before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos for an alleged $4.5bn and N2.8bn fraud. He also pleaded not guilty to the charge. The new charge, dated April 2, 2024, was filed by the EFFC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside eight other lawyers acting on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation. Counts one to four of the charge, reads, “STATEMENT OF OFFENCE: Public Servant disobeying direction of law with intent to cause injury to the public contrary to and punishable under Section 123 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990. “PARTICULARS OF THE OFFENCE: That you GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of N375,520,000.00 pieces of colour swapped N1, 000, at the total cost of N11,052, 068,062 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.” COUNT 2: “That you, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE, between the 19th of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 172,000,000 pieces of colour swapped N500 (Five Hundred Naira) Notes, at the total cost of N4, 471,066,040 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence. COUNT 3: “That you GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 137,070,000 pieces of colour swapped N200 (Two Hundred Naira) Note, at the total cost of N3, 441, 005, 280 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.” COUNT 4: “That you, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE, on or about the 7th day of October 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 80 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), by approving the withdrawal of the total sum of N124, 860, 227, 865.16 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in a manner not prescribed by the National Assembly, which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”

Post Date : May 15, 2024

Tax now highest revenue source to federation – FG

The Federal Government has charged tax practitioners to work harder in getting more revenue from taxes, stressing that tax revenue is currently the highest income source for the federation. It disclosed this on Tuesday through the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, at the 26th Annual Tax Conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria in Abuja, with the theme: Sustainable Tax Culture and Economic Roadmap for Nation Building. The government pointed out that based on the current high revenue from taxes, members of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee were always looking forward to the figures from the Federal Inland Revenue Service every month, in order to have funds to share to the three tiers of government. Madein said, “Like the CITN, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation is committed to a sustainable tax culture that will ensure the continuous flow of revenues even at an improved level. So This Happened (247) reviews Wofai Fada’s engagement, a fake medical doctor, others0.00 / 0.00 “Tax revenue as at today is the highest source of revenue accruing to the federation. Therefore at the Federation Account Allocation Committee meetings we eagerly await the numbers coming from the FIRS because the performance keeps on increasing and brings succour to all tiers of government.” FIRS exceeded its 2023 revenue target by N816bn, as its total actual revenue collection for last year stood at N12.37tn, outperforming the N11.56tn target. This is contained in a presentation by Amina Ado, Coordinating Director of Special Tax Operations Group at the FIRS. At the CITN conference on Tuesday, the accountant-general tasked tax practitioners to step up efforts in collecting taxes, so as to shore up more revenue for the government to provide infrastructure and other amenities. Madein said, “Let us remain steadfast in our commitment to building a better future for all. Together we can harness the transformative power of taxation to create a more prosperous, equitable and sustainable world. “Like I said earlier, at FAAC we eagerly look forward to tax numbers because at the moment revenue from non-oil has been a great revenue source to the federation. “Therefore, to tax practitioners, you are doing so well, but we need more of this to be able to deliver on all the areas that the citizens are looking forward to, because for even infrastructure development, it is only through funds that we can get it done.” She further stated that it was her strong belief that “the conference will go a long way to deepen the collaboration between our organisations in building capacity for all the professionals, experts and tax payers for better understanding of the tax laws, rules and regulations.” On his part, the President/Chairman of Council, CITN, Samuel Agbeluyi, while delivering his remarks earlier, pointed out that the withdrawal of subsidies on fuel and electricity had reduced the purchasing power of the masses. He noted that raising electricity tariff for a selected band after fuel subsidy was withdrawn “is going to reduce the purchasing power of the masses. So we urge govt to consider these actions on the masses. He, however, stated that the institute was happy to know that President Bola Tinubu had asked the Central Bank of Nigeria to slow down on the recent cybersecurity levy that was approved by the apex bank. “We will continue to advise the govt on its policies, considering how these polices affect the citizens,” Agbeluyi stated. It was reported on Sunday that President Bola had asked the CBN to suspend the implementation of the controversial cybersecurity levy policy and ordered a review. This followed the decision of the House of Representatives, which, last Thursday, asked the CBN to withdraw its circular directing all banks to commence charging a 0.5 per cent cybersecurity levy on all electronic transactions in the country. The CBN on May 6, 2024, issued a circular mandating all banks, mobile money operators, and payment service providers to implement a new cybersecurity levy, following the provisions laid out in the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (Amendment) Act 2024. According to the Act, a levy amounting to 0.5 per cent of the value of all electronic transactions will be collected and remitted to the National Cybersecurity Fund, overseen by the Office of the National Security Adviser. Meanwhile, the CITN president explained that in building a sustainable tax culture in Nigeria, government at all levels have a great role to play. “Taxation, in all its aspects, demands the utmost level of professionalism due to its critical importance to economic sustainability. “In furtherance of efforts at sustaining a tax paying culture, it is important to emphasise judicious use of tax revenue to engender trust between government and the taxpayer thereby entrenching a taxpaying culture and by extension contributing to nation building. “At the subnational level, particularly at the various revenue authorities, there is the need to invest in technology and people to effectively track revenues in the digital space including cryptocurrency to maximise government revenue flow,” he stated.

Post Date : May 15, 2024

DAILIES TOP STORIES: EFCC raids speculators as naira drops to 1,520/$

Wednesday 15 May 2024 Fubara tackles Wike over Rivers heavy debt Policy blitz: Tinubu unveils 21 major initiatives after marathon FEC meeting Minimum wage: Labour insists on May 31 deadline as talks resume today Foreign missions using third parties for dollar transactions – EFCC JAMB releases more UTME results FG Suspends Cybersecurity Levy Fresh Strike Looms, As ASUU Meets Over Shoddy Treatment Of Demands EFCC Arrests 13 Fake BDC Operators In Lagos Christians In Kaduna Hold Protest For Release Of Leah Sharibu Minister Petitions IGP, Asks Court To Stop Niger Mass Wedding Of 100 Orphans Tinubu, Shettima To Pay For Access Into Airports As FG Makes Payment Of E-Tags Compulsory Suspect Arrested In Failed Plateau Bank Robbery NMDPRA Meets With Petrol Marketers, Pledges To Clear ₦200bn Debt 5.9 Million Nigerian Children Face Severe Food, Nutrition Crisis— UN Court Orders EFCC To Probe Oil Company Danium Energy Niger Speaker Sarkindaji Stops Wedding Plans For 100 Girls DSS Reportedly Arrests Two In Ogun Court Premises Google To Use AI-Generated Answers In Search Results Nigeria gains additional territory ‘five times the size of Lagos’ Police hands over 4-year-old baby used wrongly by father in viral video to Edo govt Court restrains Dolphin Drilling from breaking off rig deal with Nigerian oil & gas firm Explosion rocks gas plant operated by Shell in Bayelsa FEC approves establishment of startup hub in US OPEC: Nigeria’s oil production rose to 1.28m bpd in April — highest in Africa FEC approves N96bn for bus terminals in Abuja Reps meet Obasanjo, seek support for bill to reintroduce parliamentary government Terrorists Abduct Over 80 In Katsina Alleged N19.4bn Fraud: Arraignment Of Former Aviation Minister, Sirika, Brother Stalled Ease Of Doing Business: Foreign Investors To Get Visas Within 48 Hours – FG Binance: Those behind $140m bribery blackmail will be brought to book — Speaker Abbas FG eyes N20trn pension fund for infrastructure development Ebonyi council poll: APC pegs chairmanship form at N25m Six more kidnapped Kogi varsity students rescued Man detained 14 years without trial freed, suffers mental disorder Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

Post Date : May 15, 2024

Reps meet Obasanjo, seek support for bill to reintroduce parliamentary government

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says members of the house of representatives seeking to reintroduce the parliamentary system of government through constitutional amendment should get the support of the critical masses. The former president spoke in Abuja on Tuesday during a meeting with members of the house of representatives promoting the bill. The meeting, which took place in Abuja, was part of a series of consultations to solicit support for the bill, which passed the first reading at the house of representatives in February. Kingsley Chinda, the minority leader of the house of representatives, led the lawmakers to the meeting. Nigeria currently practises a presidential system of government that allows a direct election of the president. Under the parliamentary system, the legislature appoints a prime minister, with a less defined separation of powers. Nigeria practised the parliamentary system of government from 1960 to 1963 during the first republic. Speaking at the meeting, Obasanjo said the lawmakers should have a long-term plan and be tactical in advancing their position. Obasanjo said while he agrees that there is a need for a shift in the system of government, it must be one that will work well for the country. “You are preaching to the converted, but as I have said, take the word parliamentary away,” he said. “We need to get the critical masses. Parliamentary and all that — once you start that, you have gotten it wrong. Once you do that, you are putting yourself in a fix because there are those who would say: We don’t want parliamentary.” ‘AFRICA MADE MISTAKE BY ADOPTING WESTERN SYSTEM’ Obasanjo said African countries adopted the Western liberal democracy introduced by the Europeans, which he noted is not synchronised with the continent’s value system. “Let me go back to the beginning, where we got it wrong — the Western liberal democracy, that is what the Europeans have,” he said. “When you look at Western liberal democracy, it is a product of their history. A product of their culture. A product of their way of life. “I have looked into most African languages; Western democracy has what they call loyal opposition. What is opposition in African languages? “Enemy. Western democracies called oppositions ‘loyal’ because the oppositions are loyal to the monarchy. That’s where their loyal democracy began. They used to have monarchies. “There is nothing in liberal democracy that is African. We ruled ourselves before the advent of colonialism. We had empires and striving kingdoms. We did not rule ourselves as opposition. “What is in it for us? I don’t know, but you can give it. For lack of an appropriate word, let us call it afro-democracy. That is where we have to begin.” In his remarks, Chinda said the lawmakers used “parliamentary” due to a lack of an appropriate word. The legislator said the system of government proposed by the lawmakers is “homegrown” and would suit the country.

Post Date : May 15, 2024

OPEC: Nigeria’s oil production rose to 1.28m bpd in April — highest in Africa

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) says Nigeria’s average daily crude oil production rose to 1.28 million barrels per day (bpd) in April. In its latest monthly oil market report released on Tuesday, OPEC said the production data was based on direct communication with Nigerian authorities. OPEC receives data on crude oil production from two sources: direct communication — which is from member countries — and secondary communication, such as energy intelligence platforms. According to the report, the current output signifies a 4.07 percent increase from the 1.23 million bpd recorded in March — also indicating the first month-on-month production growth in the year. Accordingly, with the current volume of production, the oil-rich country regained its position as the biggest oil producer in Africa, with Algeria taking second position with 907,000 bpd output. Meanwhile, OPEC’s secondary sources put Nigeria’s crude production at 1.35 million bpd in April — a 3.15 percent fall from the 1.39 million bpd recorded in March. Also, the global oil cartel said secondary sources disclosed “total OPEC-12 crude oil production averaged 26.58 mb/d in April 2024, 48 tb/d lower, m-o-m”. Crude oil output increased mainly in Congo and IR Iran, while production in Nigeria, Iraq and Venezuela decreased,” OPEC said. “At the same time, total non-OPEC DoC crude oil production averaged 14.44 mb/d in April 2024, 198 tb/d lower, m-o-m. Crude oil output increased mainly in Bahrain, while production in Russia and Kazakhstan decreased.” On May 8, Gbenga Komolafe, NUPRC’s chief executive officer (CEO), said Nigeria has 37.5 billion barrels of crude oil and condensate reserves as well as 209.26 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of natural gas reserves.