July 2024 – Page 24 – Crime Facts

Post Date : July 17, 2024

ICYMI: Findings Showed Imo Chief Judge Falsified Her Age

Imo State House of Assembly has asked the State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma to remove the State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Theresa Ebere Chukwuemeka-Chikeka from office over alleged age forgery. The Chief Judge had been accused of claiming in an affidavit, she sworn on September 6, 2006, that she was born on October 27, 1958, against what she had claimed before 2006. Some relevant documents had shown that she had claimed her date of birth, as October 27, 1956. In a Petition to the Speaker of the lmo State House of Assembly, dated June 5, 2024, written by the CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM and signed by its director of investigation, Comrade Ndubuisi Onyewuchi, the Petitioners had claimed that the Chief Judge was born on October 27, 1956, until 2006 when she swore an affidavit claiming that her date of birth was October 27, 1958. The petitioners maintained that age falsification by public servants is a very serious offence for which many Judicial Officers had also been dismissed after they had been found guilty of falsifying their individual ages. The Chief Judge’s Admission Form into the Law School in 1981 has her date of birth as October 27, 1956. Another document, the Nominal Roll For Directors titled “Disposition Of Directors in lmo State Civil Service Commission”, has her date of birth as 27, 1956. In her first Appointment into lmo State Civil Service on July 6, 1983 and her Appointment as Assistant Director GL. 15 on July 1993 respectively, all had her date of birth as October 27, 1956. However, after the affidavit of September 6, 2006, certain documents began to have her date of birth as October 27, 1958. ln the National Judicial Council Nominal Roll Of Judicial Officers for 2013 Budget Proposal, her date of birth was stated as October 27, 1958. Her lnternational Passport dated February 23, 2023, has her date of birth as October 27, 1958. Even Judicial Officers Nominal Roll For 2018 Budget Proposal had her date of birth as October 27, 1958. Following the Petition, the leadership of the Assembly set up a 4-man adhoc Committee. The Committee was charged with the task of Properly investigating the age falsification allegation against the Chief Judge of the State and report back to the House. It was gathered too that, the House adhoc Committee had met severally and invited all the relevant persons, including the Petitioners, the Head of Service, Secretary to the Judicial Service Commission and the Honourable Chief Judge herself. The Committee also wrote to all the relevant agencies or bodies and it was gathered they all replied the letters sent to them. While other invitees appeared before the Committee, the Chief Judge wrote to the Committee E that she would not honour its invitation. The Petitioners, personnel of The CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM, appeared before the House Committee, on Tuesday July 2, 2024 and acknowledged and adopted the Petition in question as theirs. In response to the letter of the Assembly’s adhoc Committee, dated July 5, 2024, the Secretary to the Council and Director of Administration, LEGAL EDUCATION, NIGERIA LAW SCHOOL, ABUJA, gave the date of birth of the said “Ohanenye Theresa Ebere, Now, Chukwuemeka Chikeka Theresa Ebere, as 27th October, 1956”, and that was through a letter dated July, 9th 2024, and Signed by A.O. Osho (Ms), and sent to the House adhoc Committee. It was also gathered that the Assembly Members had gone ahead to adopt the report of its adhoc Committee on the allegation of age falsification against the Chief Judge of the State and had also recommended for her dismissal. In a statement by Hon. Ikenna Ihezuo, Chairman, House Committee On Judiciary And Information, Imo State House Of Assembly on Wednesday ,the Committee recommended that the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodimma should remove the Chief Judge of Imo State, Honourable Justice Theresa Ebere Chukwuemeka-Chikeka from office for misconduct, in keeping with Section 292(ii) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended). In addition, the Committee ruled that the House Resolution on the issue be forwarded to the National Judicial Commission (NJC), for further action. Following the recommendation of the Committee of the Committee, and in keeping with the Provisions of Section 292 (a)(ii) of the 1999 Constitution, which lists misconduct as one of the grounds on which a Governor, supported by Two-Third Majority of the House Of Assembly, can remove a Chief Judge of a State, the Imo State House Of Assembly has Authorized the Governor of Imo State, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma to remove Honourable Justice Theresa Chukwuemeka-Chikeka from office as the Chief Judge of Imo State. In 2021, Governor Hope Uzodinma appointed Justice T.E Chukwuemeka-Chikeka, FCIArb as the Acting Chief Judge of Imo State.

Post Date : July 17, 2024

N82b fraud: Court recommends Yahaya Bello’s lawyers for disciplinary actions

A Federal High Court in Abuja has recommended two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) – Abdulwahab Mohammed and Adeola Adedipe – to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for investigation and necessary sanctions over alleged professional misconduct. Mohammed and Adedipe are leading the legal team of former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello in the alleged N82billion money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Emeka Nwite, in ruling on Wednesday, July 17, held that both Senior Advocates, having undertaken to produce their client in court, but failed to do so, acted unprofessionally. Justice Nwite noted that both lawyers gave undertaking on two occasions to produce Bello in court, but failed to produce their client as promised. The judge, who said such conduct by the lawyers was disrespectful of the court, however, said he would consider any application they may file for a variation of the ruling and orders made. In another ruling, Justice Nwite granted the request by Adedipe to withdraw his further participation in the case as a lawyer to the defendant.

Post Date : July 17, 2024

UAE NOT aware of $10k bank balance, N640k visa fee requirements for Nigerians

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said it is not aware of the requirement for Nigerians to have a $10,000 bank balance and pay N640,000 application fee to obtain its visa, Vanguard reports. Recall on Monday, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris announced that the Federal Government and the UAE authorities have reached an agreement vacating travel restrictions imposed on Nigerians with immediate effect. The minister revealed that Nigerian passport holders can now travel to the UAE without any hindrance. Following this recent development, the minister urged Nigerians seeking updated information on UAE visa conditions to visit documentverificationhub.ae for further details. According to DV Hub, this process is a specialized service that authenticates and verifies documents needed for UAE visa applications. The Document Verification Network (DVN) costs a non-refundable fee of N640,000, excluding VAT, per application. This fee does not cover the visa cost. Additionally, Nigerians seeking a UAE visa must provide a six-month bank statement showing a minimum balance of $10,000. However, per the Cable, UAE’s department of economy and tourism said the DV hub website is not affiliated with the UAE government. The Dubai’s general directorate of residency and foreigners’ affairs (GDRFAD) said, “You will need a personal photo and a copy of your passport which must not have less than six months validity,” the GDRFAD said, while explaining the process for a visa application. “A tourist visa costs about 200-300 dirhams (N60,000 – 90,000) depending on the stay. “You will also need a travel ticket and valid medical insurance within the UAE,” the GDRFAD added.

Post Date : July 17, 2024

Tinubu Asks Senate To Raise 2024 Budget By N6.2trn

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday transmitted a letter to the Senate asking the lawmakers to approve 2024 supplementary appropriation to the tune of N6.2 trillion. The letter was read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. This increases the 2024 budget to N34.9 trillion from an initial N28. 7 trillion budget President Tinubu had earlier signed into law on January 1. Tinubu is seeking an amendment to the budget to provide for N3.2 trillion for infrastructure projects and N3 trillion for recurrent expenditure, according to the letter. The letter reads in part, “Pursuant to section 58 (2) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I forward herewith the above named bills for consideration and passage by the senate. “The appropriation act amendment bill seeks to amend the principal act to provide the sum of N3,200,000,000,000 for Renewed Hope Infrastructure Projects and other critical infrastructure projects to be undertaken across the country and the sum of N3,000,000,000,000 to meet further recurrent expenditure requirements necessary for the prosper operation of the federal government. “They shall be funded by accruing to the federal government of Nigeria.”

Post Date : July 17, 2024

Fire Kills Kano Commissioner’s Daughter, Sister, Brother’s Wife

The Kano State Commissioner of Higher Education, Yusuf Kofar-Mata, has lost three members of his family to a fire outbreak. The commissioner announced this on his official Facebook timeline on Wednesday. The deceased were his daughter, Maimuna; his elder sister, Khadija, and his brother’s wife, Juwairiyya. It was learnt that the commissioner’s residence in the Kofar-Mata metropolis in Kano was gutted by fire early Wednesday while the family was asleep. A family source said several valuables were destroyed during the unfortunate incident. The spokesperson of the state fire service, Abdullahi Saminu, said the level of damage and cause of the inferno could not be ascertained immediately. Meanwhile, Kofar-Mata expressed grief over the loss of three of his immediate family members. “Unto Allah we came and to him we shall return. I mourn the loss of my daughter Maimuna (Islam), my senior [elder] sister, Hajiya Khadija, and my brother’s wife, Juwairiyya, who all perished in the fire accident this morning. “Their funeral prayers will be conducted at 11 am at Kofar-Mata quarters, Kano City today (Wednesday),” he wrote. Editor’s note: This photo is for illustration

Post Date : July 17, 2024

Teacher sodomizes 12 Almajiri children in northern Nigeria

Jigawa State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old Islamic school teacher, Yusuf Yunusa, for allegedly sodomizing 12 of his students in Gwaram Local Government. The State Commissioner of Police, A T. Abdullahi, paraded the suspect at the Command’s headquarters in Dutse, revealing that the suspect had formed a habit of taking his pupils to different locations and forcing them to engage in sexual acts with him. According to the Commissioner, the suspect would take the children out under the guise of massaging his penis and sucking it, forcing them to swallow his semen. “On 11/07/2024 at about 2100hrs, information was received at Gwaram Divisional Police Headquarters that, on the same date at about 1400hrs, one Yusuf Yunusa, 23 years of Gwaram town, a teacher of an Almajiri Islamic school, formed the habit of taking some of his pupils out to different locations and forcing them to massage his penis and suck it, in the process compels them to swallow his seme. “On receipt of this very unfortunate and ugly report, detectives attached to Gwaram Division swiftly swung into action and arrested the suspect. He was brought to the Division for preliminary investigation,” the statement read. A medical report confirmed the commission of the crime on 10 out of the 12 victims. The suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Dutse for further investigation.

Post Date : July 17, 2024

Despite unending insecurity, Katsina gov embarks one month vacation

The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda will commence a one-month vacation from Thursday, July 18, 2024, despite untacked insecurity in the State. The deputy governor, Faruk Jobe, will assume Radda’s role during the period of 30 days. The governor announced this during Wednesday’s joint executive and legislative meeting held at General Muhammadu Buhari House, Katsina. The governor’s vacation was granted in response to a formal letter addressed to the Speaker, which was read before the session by the Assembly Chief Whip, Ibrahim Dikko. In his application, Radda cited Section 190 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which empowers state houses of assembly to grant such requests from the executive arm. This constitutional adherence demonstrates the Governor’s commitment to due process and the rule of law. While announcing the approval, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Nasir Daura, who led other members of the Assembly to the joint meeting alongside chairmen of the 34 Local Government areas of the state, extended wishes for Allah’s guidance to Radda throughout the official vacation. He stated, “It is noteworthy that this marks the second instance in Katsina State’s political history where a Governor has sought constitutional approval for a vacation and formal handover to the deputy. The first occurrence was during the late Governor Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s second tenure.” Radda while announcing the vacation at the chamber, urged the people to accord the acting Governor support

Post Date : July 17, 2024

For Criticising Tinubu, Senate removes Ali Ndume as Chief Whip

The Senate has removed Senator Ali Ndume as the Chief Whip and replaced him with Senator Tahir Monguno. The development came after the Senator Ndume lambasted President Tinubu and alleged that “They have Caged Him“. Ndume’s replacement by the Senate followed a directive issued to that effect in a letter written by the National Chairman of the party, Umar Ganduje and National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola. The request was put to voice votes by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and loudly affirmed by all the APC senators Details later

Post Date : July 17, 2024

In Bayelsa, youths stab final year student to death —after he failed to give them N150

There is outrage in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State following the stabbing to death on Monday of a final-year student of the Niger Delta University. Community sources said the victim, Francis Palowei, was at the Sand Dump, a popular spot among the students for relaxation and socialising when some youths in the area stabbed him to death when he failed to give them N150. Palowei, who hailed from the Obrigbene community in the Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, was expected to graduate on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, when the university will hold its next convocation. The PUNCH gathered that men of the Nigerian Police Force had gone into the community and started searching for the perpetrators. The Public Relations Officer of Niger Delta University, Indoni Engezi, who confirmed the incident on Wednesday, said that the incident did not affect the institution’s academic activity Engezi said the police were already on top of the situation. According to him, the owner of the sand dump does not charge any fees for using the premises, but some youths usually charge N150 for anyone who wants to use the premises. Musa Mohammed, Police Public Relations Officer, said the Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, has deployed additional police manpower to the community to maintain the peace. Mohammed said the police had launched a manhunt for the killers.

Post Date : July 17, 2024

EXCLUSIVE: IGP directs speedy investigation of gang rape case of 16 year old girl by three men in Imo community

By Pascal Ibe The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has directed speedy investigation of the gang rape case of a 16 years at Obibi village in Adakam Amumara, Ezinihite Local Government Area of Imo State.by three men. This followed a petition filed by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Center (RULAAC)) weeks ago after the family of the victim raised alarm over alleged threat to their lives and unending intimidation by the suspects. Recall that Crimefacts news reported on Tuesday that the Zone 9 police command Umuahia is yet to arrest suspects who allegedly gang raped a16 year old girl (name withheld) in Adakam village at Amumara in Ezinihite Local Government Area of Imo State, after seven months the incident happened. But in a a letter dated 15th July, 2024 and addressed to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 9 headquarters, the IG Egbetekun directed the AIG Zone 9 Umuahia to complete all aspect of the investigation relating to the case without further delay. The letter signed by DCP Asuquo Effiong, the Principal Staff Officer II To Inspector-General of Police, also asked the AIG to invite comment from the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command and furnish his comments The letter reads in part, “Find attached copy of letter dated 8th July 2024 received from Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre on the above underlined subject.“ Background On May 3rd, CrimeFacts news reported that in order to avert justice, the traditional ruler of Adakam village at Amumara in Ezinihite Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze O.B Nwokocha, allegedly connived with the area Police Division Officer, Essiet Onuimo to hide three men who gang raped a minor at Obibi village in Adakam Amumara, Ezinihite Local Government Area of Imo State. Speaking exclusively with he Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Center (RULAAC)), its executive director, Okechukwu Nwangunma told crimefacts.news that the ugly incident happened in December 2023. crimefacts.news gathered that in December 2023, a minor was returning from a church program at Obibi village in Adakam Amumara, Ezinihite Mbaise Local Government Area, when three devil-may-care men forcefully took her to an uncompleted building, gangraped and defiled her. This newspaper learnt that the case was reported at the Ezinihitte Mbaise Divisional Police Headquarters, by the Chief Security Officer Amumara Okechukwu Ikenna Inyama. According to Nwangunma, RULAAC tried to speak with the DPO to ensure that investigation of the serious crime was not compromised. The DPO and his team continued to dillydally and are yet to arrest the suspects till date. After CrimeFacts. news reported how the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ezinihite Mbaise police station protected suspects who gang raped a 16 year old girl in 2023, it wa learnt he has been removed. A reliable source informed this newspaper that Essiet Onuimo was transferred after outrage on the role he played to shield the suspects. But CrimeFacts news is yet to independently verify this as at time of filling this report. In the statement by RULAAC n July 10, the group narrated that on December 9, 2023, the Apostolic Church Amumara, in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA Imo State, held its convention, which lasted beyond midnight into the early hours of the next day. Some young girls who attended the convention decided to stay back inside the church until dawn before going home as they considered it unsafe to go home at those wee hours. ”One of the girls, 16 years old as of the date, became a victim of a gang-rape by three (3) men who were among those engaged by the church as security guards during the convention. (Name withheld), the distraught mother of the girl, from Eziala Amumara narrated in a detailed voice note, how she had asked her daughter and another girl, her daughter’s friend, both of whom attended the convention together, to stay back in the church for safety if it was too late for them to return home after the church program. Ironically, the church precinct considered a safe haven turned out to be a zone of danger for the girls who had attended the church’s program. On why the police are yet to arrest the suspects who allegedly gang raped a 16 year old girl, the Zone 9 police command spokesperson, DSP Bruno Iheanetu stated said they are ready to do their Job. ”All we need to is a pointer that will lead us to the village in order to arrest these suspects.” The Zone 9 Spokesperson, DSP Bruno Iheanetu urged the victim and her mother come to forward with necessary information that will the assist the police in their investigation. He assured that the victim and her mother will be protected. Read full report on this Here