Crime Facts

For insulting Prophet Mohammed, angry mob kills man in Bauchi

  A young man identified simply as Yunusa was killed on Wednesday by an irate mob in Nasaru village, Ningi local government area of Bauchi State, for allegedly making blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The incident occurred around 3 pm, as recounted by an anonymous witness. Yunusa reportedly made the blasphemous remarks during a heated argument with his friends. The argument attracted the attention of bystanders. “The victim was a member of the Faira Islamic Sect, he was heard to have spoken words of insult to the Prophet. “Some young men challenged Yunusa to withdraw his statement, but he insisted he would not. He even repeated it. That was when they started beating him,” the witness stated. Reports indicate that police personnel attempted to rescue Yunusa but were overwhelmed by the mob, which used stones, sticks, and other objects to fatally assault him. Further reports suggest that the mob tried to set fire to the police station in the village when officers attempted to protect him there. Efforts to obtain official confirmation and responses from the State Police Command were unsuccessful.

IG orders continuous barricade of Rivers LG secretariats

  The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said his men would continue to barricade all local government secretariats in Rivers State amidst the ongoing political tension. He also said the recent controversy surrounding the recruitment of police constables is really appalling, as he highlighted the rigorous standards expected of officers. Egbetokun made this known on Thursday in Abuja while addressing journalists on the sidelines of a conference with Commissioners of Police and other senior officers. He disclosed that policemen will not leave the headquarters until a court judgement on the controversy over the tenure of local government council chairmen in the State. Egbetokun said the presence of the police officers was to ensure peace and order and not to intimidate anyone. He also reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force on the need for preemptive measures to forestall any escalation of violence. “The police will continue to occupy the secretariats until a court of competent jurisdiction delivers judgment on the local government crisis in Rivers State,” he said. The state police command had on Tuesday announced that it had taken over all the council headquarters to forestall further bloodshed and to prevent a breakdown of law and order.” A policeman and a member of a local security outfit were killed during a clash between supporters of the governor and his predecessor, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, at Eberi-Omuma in the Omuma Local Government Area of the state. Speaking with The PUNCH on the development, the state Commissioner for Police, Olatunji Disu, said the LG council headquarters would remain shut for the time being due to the clash between the feuding parties. Police recrutiment controversy Speaking further, the police boss said the recent controversy surrounding the recruitment of police constables is really appalling, highlighting the rigorous standards expected of officers. On the allegation from the Police Service Commission (PSC) about the recruitment process, Egbetokun said the police management is wary of recruiting individuals deemed untrainable or unsuitable for police duties. He said, “The Nigeria Police Force is a specialised institution that is not meant for all Nigerians.”

Lagos faces cholera surge with 21 deaths, 401 suspected cases

  The number of deaths from the cholera outbreak in Lagos on Thursday rose to 21, with 401 suspected cases recorded across the state. Announcing the development in an update on the disease in Lagos, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi disclosed that the total number of cholera cases has increased to 401 across Lagos, with Lagos Island, Kosofe, and Eti Osa recording the highest numbers. Ogunyemi, while providing an update on the outbreak after meeting with members of the Lagos State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), added that the death toll has also risen to 21, an increase of six from the previously reported 15 fatalities. She said: “The rise in cases was anticipated following the Ileya festivities, during which large gatherings occurred. She, however, noted that suspected cases are subsiding across LGAs, particularly in previously affected LGAs due to state government interventions and surveillance efforts. She said the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Health and other sister agencies, is maintaining rigorous surveillance and monitoring of the situation and implementing planned programs and activities to curb the spread. “The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the State Ministry of Environment and its agency, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), continues to collect samples of water sources, food, and beverages to identify the source of contamination. We have also intensified our surveillance activities in communities, particularly in affected local government areas, to address the situation head-on. “We are also working with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education as well as the Ministry of Tertiary Education to ensure all precautions are taken in our schools to protect children and scholars as they return. Residents must, however, remain vigilant, practice good hand hygiene, and participate in community sanitation activities to stop the spread of cholera,” the Special Adviser stated. The Special Adviser urged citizens to seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms such as watery diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, general malaise, and fever, stressing that cholera treatment is provided free of charge at all public health facilities. While noting that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains committed to ensuring that residents of Lagos receive quality and affordable health care, the Special Adviser extended the gratitude of the State Government to local, national, and international partners—including UNICEF, WHO, NCDC, NIMR, Red Cross, and others—for their support in combating the outbreak. “Appreciation is also extended to the dedicated team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists, environmental health officers, Water Corporation officers, surveillance officers, heads of agencies, members of PHEOC, and volunteers who are working around the clock to combat the disease and keep Lagos safe,” she added.

India Fines Binance $2.25m Amid Ongoing Trial In Nigeria

  Binance has been hit with a fine of 188.2 million rupees ($2.25 million) by India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) as the crypto exchange firm battles for its reputation in an ongoing court trial in Nigeria. In India, virtual digital asset service providers like crypto exchanges are required to be registered with the FIU as a reporting entity and comply with its anti-money laundering rules. In May, Binance had registered with the FIU as the exchange sought to resume operations in the country after the watchdog issued show-cause notices to nine offshore exchanges operating in violation of local rules. A document titled ‘Order in original No. 10/DIR/FIU-IND/2024 in the matter of Binance u/s Section 13 dated 19.06.2024’, obtained by Channels Television on Thursday, India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) said the fine was for violating its money laundering law. The Indian Authority said Binance as a registered entity in the country, has violated three sections of the country’s Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. “Consequently, due to Binance’s ongoing provision of services to Indian clients and operations within India without adhering to its statutory obligations under the PMLA a Notice dated December 28, 2023, was issued to Binance pursuant to Section 13 of the Act, compelling Binance to demonstrate why appropriate action should not be undertaken against it for its dereliction of duties under the Act, despite its status as a Reporting Entity owing to its operations as a Virtual Digital Asset Service Provider (VDA SP),” India’s FIU said. “After considering the written and oral submissions of the Binance, Director, FIU-IND, based on the material available on record, found that the charges against Binance were substantiated. Consequently, the Director FIU-IND vide order dated 19th June 2024 in the exercise of powers under Section 13 PMLA, imposed a total penalty of Rs. 18,82,00,000 (Rupees Eighteen Crore Eighty Two Lakh Only) on the Binance with reference to the following violations committed by the Binance: Contravention of Section 12(1), PMLA rw Rules 7(1), PML Rules (i) Contravention of Section 12(1), PMLA rw Rules 3(1)(D) and 7(3), PML Rules () Contravention of Section 12(1), PMLA r’w Rule 8(2) PML Rules “Furthermore, specific directions have also been issued to Binance to ensure diligent compliance with the obligations outlined in Chapter IV of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, in conjunction with the PMLA Maintenance of Record Rules (PMLA Rules) of 2005 for the prevention of money laundering activities and combating the financing of terrorism (AMLCFT).” This is as Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has filed a case of tax evasion against the company. ADVERTISEMENT The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has also accused it of laundering more than $35m through its platform. The Federal Government recently accused the cryptocurrency exchange of influencing foreign exchange (FX) rates, leading to stricter oversight of crypto trading platforms. In February, it detained two senior Binance executives: Nadeem Anjarwalla, a 37-year-old British-Kenyan who serves as the regional manager for Africa, and Tigran Gambaryan, a 39-year-old American who is the head of financial crime compliance at Binance. Following the Federal Government’s ban on cryptocurrency channels and as part of a campaign against currency speculation, the Binance executives visited Nigeria for a meeting. Although the Federal High Court last week discharged Gambaryan and fleeing Anjarwalla from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) tax evasion case against Binance, the FIRS has filed amendment charges against them with Binance as the sole defendant.

You Can Operate From Anywhere — Fubara Tells CTC Chairmen

  The 23 new caretaker chairmen take their oath of office at the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt on June 19, 2024. Credit: Rivers Govt The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has said the newly sworn-in caretaker committee chairmen in the state can operate from anywhere if attempts to gain access to council secretariats would breach the peace in the state.   Governor Fubara stated this shortly after swearing in the 23 chairmen at the government house in Port Harcourt on Wednesday. He warned the caretaker chairmen, not to confront the security men who have taken over the council secretariats, saying he does not want to be associated with violence. “Let me also advise that as you resume in your respective local governments, please I do not want any confrontation, it is not in my nature. It is not my style. “Whatever happened yesterday (Tuesday) I know and the world knows that it is not from you people. “Some persons caused it. So let us not allow them to continue to make our state look bad in the comity of states. So if you go back, if there is any situation I want you to be law abiding. I don’t want any confrontation. You can operate from anywhere,” he said. He said the most important thing was that the caretaker chairmen are now in charge of the Local Government Areas. Governor Fubara also noted that the tenure of the caretaker committee would be short because, in the coming days, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) would begin the process for the conduct of local government elections. The state police command had on Tuesday announced, that it had taken over all the LG council headquarters to forestall further bloodshed and to prevent a breakdown of law and order.   A policeman and a member of a local security outfit were killed during a clash between supporters of the governor and his predecessor, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, at Eberi-Omuma in the Omuma Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday. Fubara and his predecessor have been locked in an unending disagreement since late last year. The crisis led to the bombing of the state House of Assembly last year, factionalised the Housem while the governor survived an impeachment by Martin Amaewhule led 27 lawmakers of the House loyal to the FCT minister. The crisis worsened on Tuesday when youths loyal to the governor dislodged some chairmen loyal to Wike after the expiration of their tenure. The three-year tenure of the 23 chairmen expired on Monday but they had vowed to remain in office, citing the Local Government Amendment Law 2024 made by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly. The law by the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike empowers them to remain in office for six months due to the failure of Fubara to conduct local government elections. I Can’t Access Rivers LG Headquarters, Says New Caretaker Chairman One of the 23 newly sworn-in caretaker local government chairmen in Rivers State said security agents denied him access to the headquarters of the Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday. Darlington Orji, one of those inaugurated as LG caretaker chairmen by Fubara, was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday. When asked whether he has assumed office, the newly sworn-in caretaker chairman for Ikwerre LGA said, “Upon swearing in today, we were asked to resume so that we can swear in our members. “I got to Ikwerre Local Government Council and I saw that it’s being barricaded by security agents, the police to be very precise. “I asked a question and they said they were acting on the orders of the Inspector General of Police. “That is the situation. I couldn’t access the council because I did not want to break the law. My responsibility is to ensure that there is law and order and to make sure that my people are protected. “So, I wouldn’t want to force myself against the security agent so that I would not have any clash with them. That is the position at the moment. The police barricaded the gate of the council. There is no point in a power tussle. We are working on it and we will see what to do about it.” He said the former chairman of Ikwerre LGA, Samuel Nwanosike, was first appointed caretaker chairman about nine months before he was elected as LG chairman, and so he has no moral right to kick against the appointment of caretaker chairmen. The police took over the council secretariats of the 23 LGAs in the oil-rich South-South on Tuesday, following the crisis that erupted over the three-year tenure expiration of the former LGA chairmen. The former LG chairmen who insisted that their tenure be extended are loyal to Fubara’s predecessor, Nyesom Wike. Three deaths have been recorded in the wake of the pandemonium. Declare State Of Emergency – APC As the state continues to boil in the crisis, the All Progressives Congress in the state has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Rivers. The state APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tony Okocha, while briefing newsmen at the party’s secretariat in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, said the governor and the police are helpless over the current political crisis in the state. “I have been informed that the federal and state high courts cannot sit because of palpable fear. Young men are brandishing all manner of guns, so we are in trouble in the state. We are in a state of war,” he said. “It is because the governor is un-teachable and he does not listen to counsel, even the counsel of the President. The APC in Rivers State is asking and demanding a state of emergency. That is the way it is so that you and I will live in peace. I say so because it will be too late to cry when the head is cut off. “The Federal Government

Petrol price rises to ₦770/ltr in May 2024 — NBS

  The average price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, has skyrocketed by 223.21% to approximately ₦770 per litre in May 2024, compared to ₦238.11 per litre recorded in May 2023. This increase was highlighted in the latest Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). According to the NBS report, petrol prices rose by 9.75% on a month-on-month basis, from ₦701.24 per litre in April 2024 to ₦770 per litre in May 2024. Among the states, Jigawa recorded the highest average petrol price at ₦937.50 per litre, followed by Ondo and Benue with ₦882.67 per litre and ₦882.22 per litre, respectively. Conversely, Lagos, Niger, and Kwara states had the lowest average retail prices, at ₦636.80, ₦642.16, and ₦645.15 per litre, respectively. In terms of zonal distribution, the North-West Zone experienced the highest average retail price at ₦845.26 per litre, while the North Central Zone had the lowest at ₦695.04 per litre.   The report also noted a substantial increase in the average retail price of Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), which surged by 66.29% to ₦1403.96 per litre in May 2024 from ₦844.28 per litre in May 2023. However, on a month-on-month basis, there was a slight decrease of 0.78%, from ₦1415.06 per litre in April 2024. Adamawa State recorded the highest diesel prices at ₦1709.00 per litre, followed by Sokoto at ₦1675.00 and Bauchi at ₦1657.92. The lowest diesel prices were observed in Niger State (₦1140.20), Kano State (₦1153.33), and Oyo State (₦1236.92). The North-East Zone had the highest average diesel price at ₦1605.91 per litre, while the South-West Zone had the lowest at ₦1303.60 per litre. Kerosene Prices Edge Up The average retail price per litre of Household Kerosene (HHK) paid by consumers also saw a slight increase. In May 2024, the price rose by 0.74% to ₦1,450.35 per litre from ₦1,439.64 per litre in April 2024.

34 die, 100 hospitalised after drinking toxic alcohol

  A batch of toxic illegal alcohol in India has killed at least 34 people with more than 100 others rushed to hospital, Tamil Nadu state officials told reporters Thursday. The deadly mix of locally brewed arrack drink was laced with poisonous methanol, chief minister M.K. Stalin said, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. Stalin said arrests had been made over the deaths and warned such crimes “ruin society and will be suppressed with an iron fist,” according to a statement from his office. Hundreds of people die every year in India from cheap alcohol made in backstreet distilleries. In order to increase its potency the liquor is often spiked with methanol which can cause blindness, liver damage, and death. In the Tamil Nadu case, more than 100 people were hospitalised according to M.S. Prasanth, a top government official in the state’s Kallakurichi district, quoted by Indian media. State Governor R.N. Ravi was “deeply shocked” at the deaths, adding that “many more victims are in serious condition battling for (their) lives”, writing on social media platform X. Tamil Nadu is not a dry state, but liquor traded on the black market comes at a lower price than alcohol sold legally. Selling and consuming liquor is prohibited in several other parts of India, further driving the thriving black market for potent and sometimes lethal backstreet moonshine. Last year, poisonous alcohol killed at least 27 people in one sitting in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, while in 2022, at least 42 people died in Gujarat.

US State Directs Schools To Display Ten Commandments In Classrooms

  The governor of Louisiana has signed a bill requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom in the conservative US state, according to BBC. The bill signed on Wednesday, has reignited intense debates over the separation of church and state. The legislation, the first of its kind in the nation, mandates that the biblical text be on display starting in 2025 in all public school classrooms from kindergarten through state-funded universities. “If you want to respect the rule of law, you gotta start from the original law given — which was Moses,” Jeff Landry, Republican governor of the southern state, said at the bill’s signing ceremony. The law requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed as a poster or framed document “and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font,” the bill’s text reads. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) responded to the legislation by indicating it would take the case to court. “The law violates the separation of church and state and is blatantly unconstitutional,” the organization said in a statement. The First Amendment of the US Constitution forbids the establishment of a national religion or the preference of one religion over another. The bill, HB 71, is the first of its kind to be signed into law, though similar bills have been drafted and put forth in other southern states within the US “Bible Belt.”

DAILIES TOP STORIES:FG eyes $4.4bn new loans as debt hits N101tn

  Thursday 20 June 2024 Rivers plans parallel secretariats as police bar Fubara caretaker chairmen Nnamdi Kanu denounces S’East killings, seeks negotiation with FG FG seeks 18-month extension for $800m W’Bank palliative scheme Tapswap adjourns token allocation date indefinitely Petrol Price Rises By 223% To ₦770 Per litre — NBS Customs Grows Revenue By ₦1.9trn, Partners CBN On Stable Imports FX Rate First Bank Confirms Alebiosu as MD, Ebong As DMD Makinde Approves Appointment Of Olakunleyin As 43rd Olubadan. Fubara Swears In Rivers Caretaker Committee Chairmen Court Strikes Out Anjarwalla’s Suit Against NSA, EFCC Court Refuses To Grant Abba Kyari, Two Others Bail New National Anthem Will Build Patriotism, Resolve Insecurity – Akpabio NERC approves purchase of 450MW electricity from Zungeru plant to prevent shutdown Minimum wage: Why governors, others are foot-dragging Fuel price rises 223.21% to N769.62 per litre — NBS Naira depreciation makes Lagos, Abuja cheapest global cities for expatriates — Report Kano Emirate Tussle: Sanusi, Bayero Know Fate Today Ramaphosa Sworn In For Second Term, Says S/Africans ‘Disappointed’ FG uncovers 1,618 civil servants with fake employment letters Nigerian govt to send first civilian to space No cause for alarm, Nigeria airspace is safe — NCAA Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

FG Pushes For 18-Month Extension Of $800m W’Bank Palliative Scheme

  Nigeria has requested an 18-month extension on the closing date of the World Bank’s $800m palliative loan to boost its social safety net programs. The request comes in the wake of the country’s battle against rising inflation and economic challenges. According to a restructuring paper document on the project from the World Bank, the Nigerian government has requested for an extension of the closing date of the project from June 30, 2024, to December 31, 2025. According to the report, about three million poor and vulnerable households have benefitted from the $800m palliative loan. The apex bank had disbursed the loan to cushion the effect of recent government policies, such as the fuel subsidy removal. Of these beneficiaries, 700 thousand households were from rural areas and about 2.5 million households were from urban areas. The extension seeks to realign project timelines and enhance the efficacy of the National Social Safety Net Program-Scale Up, adding that 1,652 urban wards had been covered through the targeting system developed under the project. The document read in part, “Since its start, about 30 million beneficiaries have been covered by social safety net programs, and about three million poor and vulnerable households have received shock responsive cash transfers as of May 2024. Of these beneficiaries, 700 thousand households were from rural areas and about 2.5 million households were from urban areas. 1,652 urban wards have been covered through the targeting system developed under the project.” It added that a planned digital payment delivery mechanism had been put in place, using straight-through processing to deliver transfers directly to beneficiaries’ accounts or wallets while the National Social Register is being integrated with the National Identification Number to further strengthen the targeting system. The NASSP-SU project, initiated to provide shock-responsive safety net support to Nigeria’s poor and vulnerable, was approved on December 16, 2021, and became effective on January 30, 2023. With this loan, the Federal Government plans to run a monthly cash transfer programme for poor and vulnerable Nigerians, who have been hit hard by recent policies, such as the fuel subsidy removal. But it was abruptly stopped following a probe of alleged malfeasance in the management of the scheme by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. As part of restructuring to restart the cash transfer, the government has sought approval to change the chairmanship of the project’s national steering committee from the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to the Minister of Finance. It also stressed that the extension request stems from Nigeria’s ongoing battle with high inflation, which peaked at 33.2 per cent in early 2024, exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies and exchange rate depreciation. The document partly read, “This paper seeks approval from the Country Director for a Level II restructuring of the National Social Safety Net Program Scale-Up project, an $800m Investment Project Financing. The restructuring will extend the project closing date by 18 months from June 30, 2024, to December 31, 2025. The benefit size and duration of the cash transfers under component 1 will also be changed. “Despite earlier delays, the project remains central to the government’s ambitious plan to provide temporary cash transfer support to the population affected adversely by high inflation, particularly in the wake of the fuel subsidy removal and other macroeconomic reforms the government is undertaking. No financial or audit reports are pending, and there are no changes in the audit requirements. There have been some delays in procuring key service providers, and contract management practices are being improved by building the capacity of the PIU’s procurement team. The World Bank will keep providing embedded support to the project to improve the financial management and procurement practices.” So far, only 39.38 per cent of the entire loan has been released to Nigeria, as there is a pending balance of about $485 million. To mitigate the adverse effects of inflation and economic reforms, the Nigerian government plans to reach 15m households with N75,000 in temporary cash transfers, distributed in three monthly payments. “The ESR-CT will provide total benefit amounts of seventy-five thousand Naira (N75,000) to each beneficiary household, spread across three months. To be in line with the government’s announced program, and in response to increased inflation in recent years, the benefit size for cash transfers will be increased from thirty thousand Naira (N30,000) per beneficiary household, spread over six months,” it further stated. Meanwhile, the bank has commenced preparation of a Security Risk Assessment and Management Plan which will advise on the adequate measures the project actors and stakeholders will employ to mitigate security risks. This is because the bank recorded, “Two fatal incidents involving project staff were recorded. A project staff returning from conducting field activities was involved in a road accident and another project staff was murdered in his residence by suspected armed bandits. The project reported another road accident involving a project staff during a field exercise that resulted in leg injuries.” The $800m loan obtained by the Federal Government attracts a maximum commitment charge rate of one-half of one per cent per annum on the Unwithdrawn Financing Balance and a service charge of three-fourths of one per cent per annum on the withdrawn credit balance, according to the document. It also disclosed that the interest charge is one and a quarter per cent per annum on the withdrawn credit balance. While the first payment will be 1.65 per cent of the principal amount, the last payment will be 3.40 per cent. Also, a percentage of the principal amount of the loan is expected alongside the other charges, and this will increase over time.