An Ota Magistrates’ Court Ota on Monday sentenced a 28-year-old man to one month in prison for breaking into a shop to steal seven pieces of meats from a pot.
The Magistrate, Miss Temitope Adebutu, however, gave the convict an option of N5,000 fine.
The accused of no fixed address was arraigned on a two-count charge of stealing and burglary.
Prosecutor Rosemary Brown told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 25 at about 6 a.m. at Ire-Akari Street, Ota in Ogun.
She said that the accused broke into the shop of the complainant, Akinola Olamilekan, to steal seven pieces of meats from a pot valued at N700.
Brown said that the offences contravened Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Revised Laws of Ogun, 2006.
Credit : Vanguard
Man sentenced to prison for stealing meat
Nigeria Police bans street trading/hawking on Abuja roads
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon E. Arase NPM, fdc has
mandated State Command Commissioners of Police to strengthen
security at all Mosques, Churches and other worship centers across
the country. Adequate security has also been ordered for venues
where Moslems break-fast in the evenings. Worshipers are advised to
be vigilant, and promptly report to the Police any suspicious persons
or substance found in or around their environment.
In a similar development, a ban has been placed on street hawking
and all forms of trading on Abuja roads/Highways especially road
intersections, traffic light points and traffic hold-ups. In the same
vein, unauthorized Taxi Parks and Bus Stops formed around the
Federal Secretariat, Abuja is now prohibited. Only bus and taxis
painted in authorized commercial colours would be allowed to
operate at designated taxi parks and bus stops in and around the
Central Area, Abuja. Violators would be apprehended and prosecuted
as Police Units have been directed to enforce the relevant laws in
this regards
InspiredReportes
Why Stolen Funds Won’t Pass Through Our Banks – US
Reaffirming support to help Nigeria in fighting all forms of corruption, the United States (US) government has said that it would offer technical assistance and training for investigators and prosecutors on money laundering, pledging that it would ensure that no stolen funds were laundered through its banking system.
The US ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, who said this during the 239th US Independence celebration in Abuja, said that America had continued to maintain a robust engagement in Nigeria for many years, noting that the US partnership with Nigeria “runs deep.”
He stated that his country would support the growth of Nigerian power sector by assisting companies to build more electricity infrastructure, especially, environmentally-friendly power generation.
According to him, the two countries have over the years, worked together on a host of issues on elections, security, the Niger Delta, fighting infectious disease, and spurring broad-based, inclusive economic growth, among others.
The envoy encouraged Nigeria on the fight against Boko Haram urging them to secure and rebuild the north-east while the US would continue to help in every appropriate way.
“As you lead the effort to provide humanitarian aid to those driven from their communities and help them return home, we assist with food, medical care, and education programme.
“As you continue privatisation of your power grid, through President Obama’s Power Africa initiative, we stand ready to, among other things, help companies invest in building more electricity infrastructure, especially environmentally-friendly power generation.
As you increase your commitment to healthcare and education, we support those efforts too,’’ he added
Credit : Leadership
Ikorodu robbery: I fired 900 cartridges from my pump action gun – suspect
By Evelyn Usman and Esther Onyegbula
LAGOS—Fresh facts have emerged in the Ikorodu banks robbery operation where N80 million was reportedly carted away a fortnight ago, following the discovery that 12 members of the gang were recruited from the Niger Delta region.
This is just as the four suspects arrested in connection with the operation, that lasted close to two hours, have confessed that their gang was responsible for similar operations at Ijede road three weeks before that of Ipakodo also at Ikorodu, and that of Lekki, where five persons, including three policemen, were killed.
The arrested suspects include Omoboye, alias Alarm blow, 39; Bright, 25; Ikuesan, 37, and Abiwa, 20.
The bank robbery, according to Bright, was carried out by an 18-man gang. Bright, a graduate of English/Christian Religious Study, CRS, from the College of Education, Ekiadolor, Edo State, said a meeting with members of the gang, chaired by the gang’s leader, whose identity he gave as Million, was held in Abule area of Lagos same day the operation was carried out.
My role’
The father of two said: “Million is our leader. I was introduced to the gang by a friend named Akpan. I joined because I had no means of feeding my family. I am a wood logger, but business has been bad.
“Akpan took me to the gang’s meeting same day of the operation, on June 24, at Abule Ishawo area of Ikorodu. Those of us from Lagos included myself, M. O., Kelvin, S. K. Careboy and Million, while the rest were recruited from Warri, Delta State by Million.
“He also brought eight riffles and two pump action guns from Warri, including the two operational vehicles. He taught us how to aim at our targets during the meeting, which lasted for 30 minutes, with each of us instructed on what to do on reaching the venue.
“My role was to stand outside, with one of the pump action guns, shooting sporadically. I was also instructed to shoot at anyone who dared to intrude, while the boys recruited from Warri confronted the police.
“I had over 900 cartridges. At the end of the operation, we escaped in a fibre boat and went to the creeks, where the loot was shared. At the creeks, we analysed the operation and Million said we did well, promising to use us for subsequent operations
Credit : Vanguard
No Plans To Arrest Ekweremadu – Police
The Nigerian Police Force has explained the rationale behind its invitation to the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu.
The police explained on its Facebook page that it received a petition from an unnamed senator, who alleged unauthorized substitution of senate document.
It said in line with the policy of the police leadership on gathering evidence before invitation, the matter was referred to the Force CID in Abuja for investigation.
After conclusion of investigations, a letter was subsequently sent to the clerk of the National Assembly to facilitate a meeting of some principal officers of the senate and the clerk with the police investigating team headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force CIID, the statement said.
The statement stressed that the meeting is expected to hold at a time and venue convenient for the parties involved.
In apparent response to claims by the spokesman for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh that Mr. Ekweremadu would be arrested, the statement said the force has “healthy respect” for democratic values, hence, it does not have any plans to arrest the deputy president of the senate.
Credit : Information Nigeria News
UNIZIK students (65) renounce cultism
No fewer than 65 students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka renounced cultism at the weekend.Police arraign 115 street gang members in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Police Command, on Monday said it had arraigned 115 street gang members, locally known as “Yan Sara-Suka” for allegedly terrorising communities in the state.
The command’s spokesman, DSP Zubairu Abubakar said in Kaduna that the arraignment followed massive raid of the gangs’ hideouts across the state.
Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i had recently directed the police to rid the state of the terror gangs that had killed and maimed several people in the state.
Abubakar said 38 of those arraigned before various courts in the state were facing charges of criminal conspiracy and terrorism, 32 for possession of hard drugs and 45 for terrorism and culpable homicide.
He said that the arrest of the suspects was facilitated by the cooperation of communities, especialy in areas such as Rigasa in Kaduna metropolis.
The police spokesman said special patrols were continuing in areas notorious for criminal activities in the state.
“Kaduna is now very calm, and we need the cooperation of the general public to make the state safer for all.
“The police will not allow any miscreant to cause unrest in the society. Such person will be arrested and prosecuted instantly.”
Abubakar appealed to the general public to be law abiding and continue to support the police and other security agencies to discharge their duties more effectively.(NAN)
Credit: Vanguard
Five Nigerian students detained in Malaysia over alleged N125.2m Internet Scam
Five Nigerian students have been arrested and detained in Malaysia over their alleged involvement in an internet fraud amounting to N125.2million (RM2.4 million) in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. The five students, aged between 20 and 30, and pursuing Information Technology courses in a leading private college in Kuala Lumpur, were arrested on June 30, 2015 at different areas in that country including Petaling Jaya, Cyberjaya, Damansara and Kuala Lumpur.
Following the arrest of the five students, police also detained the two local women, aged 40 and 55, who are the owners of the accounts used by the syndicate said Penang Commercial Crimes chief ACP Azmi Adam.
ACP Azmi said police also seized five laptops, 20 hand phones, ATM cards, SIM cards and documents believed to have been used to con their victims.
He said police launched ‘Ops Merpati’ after receiving a report from the owner of an ice producing factory owner in George Town who claimed he had been cheated by the syndicate. The 62-year-old victim said he had received an e-mail from the syndicate in March, informing him that he was among 50 recipients selected to receive RM15.9 million from the government of the United States.
“The e-mail requested the victim to follow certain procedures to ensure he did not miss the opportunity. Convinced by the contents of the e-mail, the victim carried out 51 transactions involving money, to accounts numbers given by the syndicate before realising it was a scam. He later lodged a police report,” he said.
Azmi said initial investigations revealed that the syndicate had conned several victims to a tune of RM2.4 million. Police have also found transactions involving up to RM1 million that were banked in from a neighbouring country.
Credit : Vanguard
Police To Interrogate Ekweremadu Over Forgery Of Senate Rules Today
Following the emergence of Sen Ekweremadu as deputy Senate president, some members of the APC had expressed reservations over the process that brought him to office.
Metuh said: “The leadership of the PDP has been made aware of various threats to life and other forms of intimidation and blackmail against Senator Ekweremadu from the APC. As you may know, the APC leaders have not hidden their bitterness and resentment towards Senator Ekweremadu whose offence is the privilege of being elected by his colleagues (APC and PDP senators alike) as deputy Senate president in line with the Standing Rules of the Senate and the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Since President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that Senator Ekweremadu’s election was ‘unacceptable’ to his party, the deputy Senate president, who can only be removed by the Senate, has come under threats and intense pressure from APC leaders to resign and allow a senator from the ruling party to take his position”. But in a statement in Abuja yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the APC said it neither wrote a petition to the police nor was it aware that any petition was written against Ekweremadu.
“However, if, as the PDP claims, the petition concerns alleged altering of the Senate’s Standing Rules on the process of electing presiding officers, that is a clear case of forgery which the police have a duty to investigate. Questioning the right of the police to carry out their duties in this regard amounts to intimidating the security agency.
“Forgery is a crime that is regularly investigated by the police, and it beggars belief that such investigation will now be interpreted to mean that Nigeria is descending into dictatorship or that democracy and the enjoyment of personal freedoms are now endangered. These claims by the scaremongering PDP are farfetched and preposterous,’’ it said.
Leadership
EFCC to quiz 120 teachers over alleged N200m loan scam
A strong indication has emerged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to quiz no fewer than 120 teachers in Ogun State over an alleged N200million loan scam on Monday (today).
Vanguard gathered that the anti-graft agency had invited the affected teachers through the state Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) and would interrogate them at the commission’s office in Lagos.
The teachers, most of whom are in secondary schools in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of the state, allegedly obtained loans running into about N200million from First Bank Plc since 2011 and defaulted in repayment.
But the teachers denied ever borrowing any loan from the First Bank, adding that majority of them even never had accounts with the bank.
It was gathered that the development has since last week generated controversy between the teachers and TESCOM authorities over whether or not to honour the EFCC invitation.
Sources said the teachers have been grouped into six batches, with the first batch, comprising 20 teachers, billed to appear before the EFCC on Monday (today).
It was learnt that a vehicle has also been arranged to convey the teachers in batches from the State Secretariat, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta to Lagos.
One of the affected teachers, who spoke with our correspondent at the weekend, said the teachers staged a protest to the Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, on Friday following an unsatisfactory meeting with TESCOM officials.
The teacher, who did not want to be named, disclosed that the Head of Service subsequently held a meeting with the teachers’ spokesman,Imam Noah Sodeinde, on the imperative of honouring the EFCC invitation notwithstanding the claims of innocence by all the teachers.
The teacher added: “We suspect that a fraud has been perpetrated somewhere. Many of us don’t have accounts with the bank, yet they said we took loans and failed to repay. How can that be? Some of the affected teachers have retired while others are still in service. EFCC should beam searchlight at the bankers.
“This issue has been on for some time. They (TESCOM) just sent text messages to invite us recently. They called others on phone. They said we are going to EFCC to respond to allegation that we took loans and did not repay. They said they will arrange bus to carry us to EFCC.”
It was learnt that many of the teachers were kicking against honouring the EFCC invitation because of the apprehension that they may be subjected to unwarranted detention over the matter despite their innocence.
Efforts to get the Head of Service and TESCOM Acting Chairman, Otunba Timothy Adebowale, to react to the matter were not successful yesterday.
But a source at TESCOM,hinted our correspondent that there was no cause for alarm by the teachers, adding that the state Ministry of Justice is aware and has made arrangements to provide the teachers with lawyers that would defend their cause.
The source stated that the list of the affected teachers was not generated from TESCOM and that it became imperative for the teachers to honour the EFCC’s invitation to enable them to effectively clear their names
Credit: Vanguard