The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olanrewaju Ishola has met with the organizers of the proposed #endbadgovernance protest scheduled for October 1, 2024.

The spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin in a statement on Saturday said the meeting is geared towards ensuring safety at all times.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Olanrewaju Ishola as part of proactive measures towards ensuring a safe and secure Lagos State before, during and after the proposed #endbadgovernance protests scheduled for October 1, 2024, has met with the protest organizers in his office at the State Headquarters, Ikeja,” Hundeyin said.

“The CP assured the organizers that arrangements have been perfected with sister security agencies to provide maximum security to the protesters and other Lagosians.

“He has also urged the organizers of the protests to remain peaceful and law abiding in all their actions”

Meanwhile, CP Ishola has ordered the immediate and optimal deployment of human and operational resources across strategic locations in the state.

Ishola on Thursday convened a meeting of traditional rulers, religious/youth/market leaders, media influencers and other opinion moulders at the POWA Hall of the Command Headquarters, Ikeja.

According to Hundeyin, the meeting which was convened to address security concerns within the state following recent agitations and clamour for a nationwide protest provided the opportunity for Lagosians to ventilate their concerns, point out areas of security concern and recommend strategies that would help curb any form of violence within the state.

The Commissioner of Police reminded influential Nigerians of their role in setting an example and speaking out against any form of violence or aggression, saying this would help ensure that peace is maintained by all and sundry.

CP Ishola also charged stakeholders in the state to eschew violence and preach peace, tolerance and rule of law to their teeming followers.

He equally gave the assurance that the Command is fully prepared to protect law-abiding citizens and deal with trouble makers in accordance with the law.

Some attendees at the stakeholders meeting include: Prof. Ishaq Akintola (Executive Director, Muslim Rights Concern), Comrade Funmi Sesi (Chairperson NLC Lagos), Comrade Alimi Lekan Idris (Chairman NANS Lagos), Comrade Abiodun Aladetan (Secretary TUC Lagos), Alhaji Shittu Shola Ganiyu (Vice Chairman NURTW Lagos), Eze Uche Dimgba, Mrs Abimbola Jinadu (representing Iyaloja General), Alhaji Musa Mohammed Dogon Kadai (Seriki Hausawa of Agege) amongst others.

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has confirmed the arrest of three persons for sextortion and romance scam.

The spokesman of the Nigerian Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi confirmed their arrest for sextortion and romance scam on Thursday night via a press statement on X.

“The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC) recently arrested three suspects in connection with an alleged case of Sextortion and Romance scam,” Adejobi said.

“The suspects, Abodunrin Rasheed ‘m’, Abodunrin Tunde ‘m’ and Abodunrin Rokeeb ‘m’ were apprehended following a report via the NPF-NCCC E-Reporting portal and an intelligence report from the Center.

“Investigation revealed that the suspects met a Croatian national on a dating app and claimed to be a woman. Their continuous chats progressed to Instagram and WhatsApp, leading to an intimate relationship.

“However, the Croatian was deceived into sending nude pictures of himself through the dating app.

“The suspects subsequently conspired and pressured him to pay ransom or have his pictures sent to his family and friends.”

Adejobi said the operatives of the NPF-NCCC conducted a due investigation following the obtained information from the report which led to the apprehension of the suspects and recovery of the following exhibits related to the crime.

According to the Police spokesman, the recovered exhibits include six iPhones, one Techno phone, one Samsung phone and a Lexus car.

He said further investigations revealed that the suspects have previously engaged in numerous similar cybercriminal activities, both collectively and individually, defrauding and extorting numerous victims globally.

Adejobi said the proceeds of these crimes were primarily received through gift cards like the iTunes gift cards, steam gift cards etc, adding that the suspects will be charged in court upon completion of the investigations.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, hereby, urges Nigerians to be wary of suspicious online activities of scammers and other cybercriminals and also sends a strong warning to all individuals and groups involved in all sorts of cybercrime,” Adejobi said.

“The Nigeria Police Force will not relent in its fight against all sorts of crime and criminality. The IGP further reiterates the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to dominating Nigerian cyberspace and taking strict action against individuals or groups attempting to compromise national peace and security.

“The IGP assures Nigerians of his dedication to bolstering national security and tackling all forms of crime in every sector.”

Furthermore, Adejobi said citizens are encouraged to report any suspicious activities through the e-reporting portal of the NPF-NCCC: nccc.npf.gov.ng/ereport/signin to aid in the timely identification and apprehension of cybercriminals.

Jamilu Abdullahi, an Abuja-based Bureau de Change operator and third prosecution witness in the trial of Ali Bello, on Thursday, September 26, 2024, gave a narrative of the financial transactions between him and the Kogi State government under former governor, Yahaya Bello before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Maitama Abuja.

The rundown includes how the former governor repeatedly paid the school fees of his three daughters in dollars through him and his companies.

Ali Bello, the current Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, is the nephew of Yahaya Bello. He is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on 18-count charges of money laundering and misappropriation to the tune of over N3 billion, alongside Abba Daudu, Yakubu Adabenege, and Iyada Sadat.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness disclosed that in one of the occasions, Daudu, the second defendant brought $300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Dollars) in cash to him for the payment of Yahaya Bello’s daughters’ school fees. “Abba Daudu called me to say that they have a transaction though it was on the weekend, but I drove down to the office and waited for them to come. Upon their arrival, three of them came. One of them stayed in the car with the driver, two of them walked to my office and a friend of Abba Daudu was holding black leather bag containing $300,000.

“Upon entering, he greeted and Abba Daudu introduced him as his friend and business partner saying he has a transaction. He dropped $300,000 in cash. I wanted to count the dollars before they left, but I could not due to the power outage. I told him I cannot use my hands and needed to confirm that it was $300,000, so I locked the dollars in my office safe and two of them left. Then, Abba Daudu’s friend said when I confirmed the sum, details will be forwarded to me for payment. However, the sum of $300,000 attracts some service charges which he said I should calculate and let Abba Daudu know. After I completed the transfer, I forwarded four receipts indicating $75,000 four times to Abba Daudu, and he confirmed to me that the payment was confirmed successfully,” he said.

When asked by the prosecution counsel if he knew anything regarding the transactions on Exhibit D, Pages 50, 52 and 53, he said “Yes I know the transactions of $75,000, being paid to the school four times totalling, the sum of $300,000 as forwarded by Abba Daudu and further confirmed that the fees was paid for one of Yahaya Bello’s daughters. “And the name of the recipient is Naima Ohunene Bello,” he said.

Another payment of the fees, he recalled, was done by a company, Aleshua Solutions Services which, he said paid the sum of $42,170 for Naima Ohunene Bello. “It was paid on behalf of the student Naima Ohunene Bello for school fees based on the instruction and as forwarded by Abba Daudu, and the date is 24th January, 2022.”

On Page 7 of the Exhibit D, was $78,160 he identified as payment for school fees through Aleshua Solutions Services in respect of another Yahaya Bello’s daughter, Fatima Oziohu Bello. “Based on the receipt before me, I am seeing acknowledgement of $78,135 being paid for Fatima Bello and on the Aleshua Solutions Services.

On Page One of Exhibit D, he identified a transaction of $44,675 also for Naima Bello. “I have seen it on the receipt of the payment. Forty-four thousand, seven hundred dollars, ($44,700) was paid to the school, but due to internal charges from the bank, $25 dollars was deducted, making the total balance of $44,675.00,” he said.

The beneficiary school, he told the court, was American International School (AIS).Regarding transactions from Daudu’s company, Keyless Nature Limited to his own Kunfayakun company’s account on December 15 and 17, 2021, he said: “I received the sum of N100 million on the 15th December 2021 from Keyless Nature. On the 17th December, 2021, I received N400 million. Meanwhile on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd, December 2021, I received N100 million. On the 22nd December 2021, I received the sum of N100 million only. On the 23rd December 2021, I received N35 million.

“I also received payment from Remita International in the sum of N40 million on 12th December, 2021, and there was an entry of N33 million on the 17th of December 2021. On the 7th February 2022, I confirmed the receipt of N90 million from Keyless Nature,” he said.

Counsel to Ali Bello, first defendant A.M Aliyu, who wished to cross-examine the witness, asked for adjournment to enable him study and have a full grasp of the massive facts and figures involved. Nurain Jimoh, counsel to the second, third and fourth defendant, agreed with him, while the prosecution counsel objected to the adjournment on the account that the witness has been in the dock since February 6, 2023. “I believe the cross-examination of PW 3 should begin. If there are other grounds, however, the application can be sustained. If not, I urge your lordship to turn it down.

Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter till October 25, 2024 and November 5 and 6, 2024 for continuation of trial.

It could be recalled that while testifying on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, the witness identified that Page 9 of Exhibit D, also contained $11,000 payment by Whales Oil and Gas to AIS, which was done based on Daudu’s directive being the one who gave him the account details into which he made the payment.

He further explained on the same date that exhibits16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 were all payments to AIS. Exhibit 16, he said, captured payments of $7,653 to Bello Nana Fatima. The same he said applied to the payment of $19,296 on Page 17 and $7,725 on Page 18, while pages 19, 20 and 21 captured payments of $6,611.29, $21,470 and $21,492 respectively in favour of Zahra Bello.

He also narrated on September 24, 2024 how cash lodgments running into millions of naira were made into his E-Traders International Limited and Kunfayakun companies’ accounts as well as to his personal account by Daudu.

According to him, on July 27, 2021 he received N10 million and on August 19, 2012, there was a cash deposit of N100 million in N10 million tranches and N100 million deposit on August 25, 2021.

On August 30, 2021, he disclosed that there was N63 million deposit and an additional N50 million, a day later on August 31, 2021 into his account. He further disclosed that on September 2, 2021, there was a double N30 million lodgment totaling N60 million.

He stated that the inflows into his accounts continued on October 8, 2021, with a transfer of N60 million and a double inflow of N130 million and N139.5 million on November 4, 2021.

On November 10, 2021, N25,134,000, flowed in; another N50 million, he said, flowed in on November 12, 2021and N200 million on November 30, 2021. The inflows, he said, continued on December 1, 2012 with N220 million and N16,008,000 on December 3, 2021. On December 22, 2012, he said N40 million flowed in from the same source.

The witness in his September 24, 2024 testimony also admitted that Kayless Nature Limited made a deposit of N100 million to him on December 21, 2021 with the authorization of the second defendant.

On December 22, 2021, another N100 million, he said, flowed in from Kayless Nature Limited, and another N60 million from the company on December 29, 2021.

The financial traffic continued on the New Year. According to him, on January 18, 2022, N40 million flowed in and continued thereafter. “On the 19th of January, 2022, I received N50 million, while on the 24th, 2022, I received N30 million, and on the 28 of that same January, 2022, I received N40 million cash in four tranches, and another N120 million. On January 31, 2022, I received an inflow of N160 million, while on February 1,2022, I received N110 million, and N150 million on February 8, 2022,” he said.

He further disclosed that on March 2, 2022, a total of N84 million was deposited in his account with another lodgment of N122, 980,000 on March 10, 2022 and N60 million on March 21, 2022.

On April 5, 2022, he stated that N150 million flowed in and N140 million, a day after on April 6, 2022.

The Federal Government has suspended several senior officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) over bribery allegations involving controversial crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.

In a statement released on Thursday by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, the government confirmed the suspension of the officers following a viral video noting alleged misconduct.

The statement, signed by Ja’afaru Ahmed, noted that the suspension was to facilitate a thorough investigation into the allegations, with the findings to be made public once concluded.

The suspended officers include Michael Anugwa, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kirikiri, Lagos, and Sikiru Adekunle, DCC in charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, also in Kirikiri.

Additionally, the Board suspended ASC II Ogbule Samuel Obinna, an officer at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Afikpo, Ebonyi State, for allegedly escorting a convicted inmate out of the facility without authorisation.

Another officer, Iloafonsi Kevin Ikechukwu, DCC in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, Abuja, was also suspended for allegedly receiving money on behalf of an inmate.

In a related development, the House of Representatives passed a resolution on Thursday to investigate bribery allegations involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the NCS, following accusations made by social media influencer Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan.

During a plenary session, the resolution was adopted after a motion of urgent public importance was presented by Patrick Umoh, the representative for Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State.

Umoh raised concerns over allegations that the EFCC dropped money laundering charges against Bobrisky after receiving N15 million and that Bobrisky, convicted for defacing the naira, did not serve his sentence in a proper correctional facility.

“We are disturbed about the damning allegations against Nigerian critical law enforcement agencies—the EFCC and the NCS—established by this hallowed chamber to fight corruption and incarcerate convicted individuals for correctional purposes,” Umoh said.

The Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, referred the matter to the Committees on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions, with a directive to report back within three legislative weeks.

Delta State government on Thursday warned medical personnel who provide any underage girl child abortion pills, and contraception that endangered her life to desist outright or face prosecution at the court of law.

The State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General (AG), Ohwovoriole Ekemejero (SAN) gave the warning at the World Contraception Day held in Asaba, the State capital.

Ohwovoriole who spoke via the Director Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence unit, Mrs. Patricia Akanagwuna, said providing minor access to these facilities without the consent of the girl child’s parents or guardian is illegal in the eye of the law, and those involved must be punished accordingly.

He however advised the medical personnel to as principles, “allowed individual women to make informed choices about their reproductive health, free from coercion or judgment, in addition to Protecting their right to confidentiality when seeking contraceptive services.”

A Senior Lecturer, the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Project Director, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Dr. Jedidiah Sodje disclosed that Nigeria is currently facing significant challenges in maternal and child health.

According to him, “statistics revealed that the Country is having the highest maternal and child mortality rates in the world, leading to the death of approximately 512 woman per 100,000 live births, and one in eight children does not reach their fifth birthday”.

To reduce these alarming statistics, Sodje advised “we key into family planning”, saying it provides individuals and couples with the means to decide the number and spacing of their children

He noted that family planning empowers women to plan their lives and secure healthier futures for their family.

“When women access contraceptive methods, they are more likely to avoid unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, which are often associated with higher risks of maternal and child mortality,” he said.

He said effective family planning programs help to space pregnancies to allow mothers’ bodies to recover fully between births.

“This is crucial as closely spaced pregnancies increase the risk of complications that can result in long-lasting morbidities and mortality.

“Family planning enables adolescents and youth to attain better heights in education and be able to contribute more significantly to national development.”

A High Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday sentenced five men charged with the Offa bank robbery incident to death by hanging.

The court convicted Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye and Adeola Abraham.

Delivering judgment, Justice Haleema Saliman held that the five defendants were found guilty of conspiracy, armed robbery, culpable homicide, and illegal possession of firearms.

Saliman said that the defendants caused the deaths of people, including a police officers and civilians during the armed robbery in Offa, on April, 2018, which is punishable by death.

Earlier, the lead prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacob (SAN) said that the prosecution was able to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt and the judgement was done accordingly.

Jacob said that the six year spent on the case was worth it, as evidence clearly showed that the convicts were involved in the robbery and killings.

He said that the trials had been concluded and the prosecutors had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt for the suspects to be convicted.

The lead defence counsel, Nathaniel Emeribe, represented by Abdullahi Jimba said that the judgment was not surprising, considering the evidence presented in court, it had been envisaged that it would end that way.

He, however, said that in line with the case of AG Oyo state with Bello, there would definitely be an appeal and record would be compiled and moved to the court of appeal.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the prime suspect, a policeman, Michael Adikwu died in police custody during the trial while the remaining five pleaded for mercy but were convicted.