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Tag: law enforcement

  • BREAKING! Tension As Masked Men Storm Oyo Government Secretariat

    BREAKING! Tension As Masked Men Storm Oyo Government Secretariat

    Several individuals wearing masks reportedly forced their way into the Oyo State Government Secretariat on Saturday (today).

    Reports said the armed individuals believed to be Yoruba Nation Agitators were strategically positioned at various locations within the Secretariat premises.

    Some were reportedly stationed at the Governor’s office gate, while others were observed at the House of Assembly Gate and the main entrance.

    The presence of these masked men caused fear and anxiety in the area, with security personnel attempting to address the situation without success.

    The true identities of these masked individuals remain unknown at this time.

    However, law enforcement officers, including the Police Command and other anti-crime agencies, swiftly responded by deploying multiple patrol vehicles to the Secretariat entrance.

    Additionally, members of the Oyo security network known as Amotekun were also reported to have arrived at the scene.

    The situation, as reported, nearly descended into chaos as security personnel engaged in a gunfight with the protesters.

    Reports also mentioned the use of tear gas, causing panic among residents in the vicinity.

    Motorists travelling along the route have been forced to take alternative paths while other road users hurried to find safety.

    Road users heading towards the Secretariat were redirected through Customs Junction, as the Secretariat-Queen Elizabeth Road was blocked off.

    Despite the efforts of the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (retired), to calm the situation, the masked gunmen persisted in their attempt to raise their flag at the Secretariat.

    However, the arrival of military officers from the 2nd Division of the Army approximately an hour later reportedly changed the course of events, causing some of the protesters at the entrance gate to flee.

    The stern-looking officers were said to have pursued the masked agitators.

    Shop owners, businesses, and residents in Bodija, Ikolaba, and along the Awolowo route quickly secured their shops and doors.

    As of this report, it remains unconfirmed whether any arrests have been made, as security personnel work to restore normalcy.

  • Gunmen attack Ortom’s ex-aide, abduct wife, housemaid

    Gunmen attack Ortom’s ex-aide, abduct wife, housemaid

    Gunmen have abducted the wife, Mrs Abigail Orbunde and housemaid, Patience Ogute, of Terwase Orbunde, a former Chief of Staff to the immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.

    Orbunde, alongside his wife and the housemaid, was said to have gone to inspect his farm located close to the Genocide Cemetery along Mobile Barracks-Welfare Quarters Road in Makurdi, the state capital on Friday, when they were attacked.

    The incident, according to a source who witnessed the attack, happened at about 6 pm on Friday.

    The eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised by the family to speak on the issue, said, “After the inspection of the work, five gunmen suddenly attacked the former Chief of Staff to the immediate past governor, his wife and housemaid who were on the farm along Mobile Barracks/Welfare Quarters in Makurdi.

    “This happened around 6 pm on Friday and the gunmen opened fire and the bullet hit Orbunde, while they ordered him and the women to follow them to an unknown destination.”

    The shooting was said to have caused villagers and passersby to scamper for safety in different directions.

    Another eyewitness who watched from a far distance said the gunmen marched the victims on a footpath but later abandoned Orbunde who was said to be bleeding profusely and unable to walk fast.

    “As they abandoned the man, the gunmen then whisked the women to an unknown destination while good Samaritans conveyed Orbunde to hospital,” the eyewitness said.

    Orbunde’s close ally and media consultant, Tahav Argezua, confirmed the attack on his Facebook page.

    The Benue State Police Command, Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident.

  • Alleged $4.5bn, N2.8bn fraud: Court grants Emefiele N50m bail

    Alleged $4.5bn, N2.8bn fraud: Court grants Emefiele N50m bail

    An Ikeja high court in Lagos State has granted bail to the embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele, in the sum of N50 million.

    Ruling on the bail application on Friday, the presiding judge, Rahmon Oshodi, admitted Emefiele on bail with two sureties in like sum.

    The former CBN governor is facing a trial in Lagos on a 26-count charge bordering on abuse of office.

    Recall that Justice Oshodi had ordered the remand of the former Central Bank Bank (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The judge gave the remand order over alleged abuse of office and $5.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud.

    The judge ordered that Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Isioma-Omoile, should be detained at Ikoyi Custodial Centre.

    The defendants counsel, Mr A. Labi-Lawal, had in his two bail applications, urged the court to grant the defendants bail on self recognition and on liberal terms pending the determination on the case.

    Labi-Lawal, in his 31 affidavits, said the first defendant (Emefiele) had complied with the bail application, which was given to him by Justice Muazu in his alleged fraud trial case going on in Abuja.

    He said the charges were bailable offences and not a capital offence.

    “Though the first defendant was granted administrative bail by the prosecuting authority. He is seeking bail based on self recognition and he is ready to attend the court.

    “The court should also take into consideration the status of the first defendant as he was the former CBN governor of the country,” he said.

    The defence counsel said his client had religiously presented himself before Justice Muazu in Abuja to answer the allegations before him.

    According to him, the first defendant was not at flight risk, as he was the first person to arrive in court.

    He also prayed the court to release Emefiele to lawyer, pending the determination of the bail.

    Emefiele and his co-defendant pleaded not guilty to the 26-count charge bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property receipt.

    The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty, following their arraignment.

    The EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), did not oppose the bail application moved by the defence counsel.

    Oyedepo, however, urged the court to exercise its discretion judiciously in granting bail to the defendants.

  • Naira Abuse: Court jail Bobrisky six months with no fine option … “I am a man,” he admitted

    Naira Abuse: Court jail Bobrisky six months with no fine option … “I am a man,” he admitted

    Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, A.K.A Bobrisky, to six months in jail with no option of fine.

    Bobrisky, on arraignment, pleaded guilty to the charge of naira abuse.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, April 4, docked the controversial cross-dresser on a six-count of money laundering and abuse of naira.

    However, the court dismissed the money laundering charges but convicted him for Naira Abuse after he confessed to the crime.

    At the last sitting, the prosecution counsel, S.I. Sulaiman urged the court to allow the investigating officer, ASE I Bolaji Temitope Aje, to give a brief review of the facts against him.

    Aje narrated to the court that the EFCC received intelligence on some individuals, who are in the habit of mutilating and spraying the Naira notes at social parties and event centres in Lagos.

    According to him, “Based on intelligence, the EFCC set up the Special Operations Team to observe and monitor activities of individuals, who are involved in the habit of mutilating the Naira.

    “The team visited many event centres and monitored social media pages, where the Naira was being abused. During the course of the monitoring, the team came across videos on social media, where the defendant was seen abusing the Naira. The team then proceeded to download these videos via our office laptop computers and also went further to copy these videos on compact disc.

    “In the light of the foregoing, a letter of invitation was written and forwarded to the defendant.
    “The defendant honoured the invitation. When he got to our office, he was voluntarily cautioned. Thereafter, he volunteered to write his statement.

    “The defendant was shown a video, where he was spraying money on an artiste called Segun Johnson. The defendant confessed that he was the one in the video. He was also shown a video at IMAX Circle Mall, where he sprayed a total sum of N400,000 at a movie premiere. The defendant also admitted that he was the one in the video and that he carried out the abuse.

    “The defendant was also shown two other videos of him spraying the Naira at Aja junction, Ikorodu, and White Stone Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.

    “The defendant admitted to spraying money in these videos. He was, therefore, served with a bail condition.”

    Consequently, Sulaiman then prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.

    Justice Awogboro had, thereafter, ruled that “upon the admission of guilt by the defendant, testimony of PW1 and following the evidence tendered, the defendant is declared guilty as charged.”

    In his plea for mercy, Bobrisky said: “I am a social media influencer, with five million followers; and in all honesty, I was not aware of the law. I wish I could be given a second chance to use my platform to educate my followers against the abuse of the Naira.”

    Also, his lawyer had said: “He will lead the crusade against the abuse of Naira. He is also an employer of people ; and if he goes to jail, the people he employs will suffer. He has cooperated with the EFCC and has not wasted the time of the court. We urge the court to caution the defendant and allow him to go. He has given evidence that he will be useful to the country. We urge you to grant a non-custodial sentencing option of fine.”

    After listening to both parties, the judge deferred judgment in the matter to Tuesday, April 9, 2024, and also ordered that he be remanded in the EFCC custody.

    Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Awogboro held that “The act of mutilating the Naira notes has become a menace, which has continued to damage the image of the country.

    “Enough of people mutilating and tampering with our currencies. It has to stop. His will serve as a deterrent to others.”

    The Judge, therefore, sentenced him to six months imprisonment, without an option of fine, from the date of his remand

  • AGF, NBA, NJC set to tackle factors hindering the effectiveness of laws

    AGF, NBA, NJC set to tackle factors hindering the effectiveness of laws

    The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi has said that a new move to make Nigerians access justice and fair play unhindered is underway for the citizenry.

    To make the new measure achievable, most of the laws, including electoral laws, are to be updated under a new justice sector reform.

    At a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the AGF revealed that the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are putting together a National Summit on Justice sector where all factors hindering the effectiveness of Nigerian laws would be tackled.

    The President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to the AGF, would, on April 24, 2024, declare the Summit open to address critical challenges in the nation’s justice sector in Abuja.

    According to Fagbemi, the anticipated National Summit on Justice holding from April 24 to 25, 2024 will be hosted by the
    Federal Ministry of Justice, alongside the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    The National Summit, with the theme, “Repositioning the Justice System: Constitutional, Statutory, and Operational Reforms for Access and Efficiency”, the Minister said, will hold at the Auditorium of National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.

    The event, Fagbemi said, will address the significant challenges plaguing Nigeria’s justice sector and pave the way for much-needed reforms that will make justice more accessible to all Nigerians.

    He said the Summit will bring together experts, legal professionals, and key stakeholders from across the country to engage in constructive discussions and develop practical solutions that prioritize the justice needs of the average Nigerian.

    In his words, “The National Summit on Justice presents a unique opportunity to collectively tackle the pressing issues hindering the efficient, fair, and people-centered delivery of justice in our nation.

    “The Joint Planning Committee established by the Federal Ministry of Justice and the NBA, headed by the Chairman of the NBA Judiciary Committee, Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN has assembled a remarkable group of speakers and panelists to share their invaluable knowledge and expertise and proffer constructive solutions for making the justice system more efficient and accessible to all Nigerians”, the AGF and Minister of Justice stated.

    He added that the summit will feature a keynote address by Dr. Willy Mutunga, EGH, a renowned legal scholar, jurist and former Chief Justice of Kenya, celebrated for his commitment to democratic principles and human rights, and for the transformative judicial reform that took place in Kenya under his watch.

    One of the Summit’s goals, the Minister said, is to review, validate, and adopt the revised National Policy on Justice 2024 – 2028 to drive prison reforms, access to justice for the average Nigerian, as well as the review of electoral laws and procedures in handling election related cases, among several other reforms.

    He said, “This comprehensive policy document outlines a broad framework and initiatives in 17 thematic areas aimed at reforming the justice sector to enhance its effectiveness and accessibility to all Nigerians, ensuring that justice is not just a privilege for the few, but a right for all.

    “The policy aims to address various challenges within the legal framework, seeking to promote social cohesion, bolster economic development, and foster good governance.”

    He added further that, the Summit will deliberate on draft legislations proposed to address specific identified challenges within the justice sector, relating to the judicial appointments process, administration, funding and budgeting for the judiciary, the elimination of delays and inefficiencies in justice delivery and to evolve ways to reduce the amount of time for adjudication of cases, eliminate some of the associated technicalities, and reduce the number of cases getting to the Supreme Court.

    “In this regard, we intend to look at a situation where many cases will terminate at the court of appeal to reduce the burden on our noble justices of the Supreme Court.

    “These proposed laws are expected to serve as a catalyst for collective action and provide a guiding framework for relevant governmental institutions at both the national and sub national levels to establish an effective, efficient, and people-centered justice system”.

    The country , he said, cannot afford to remain complacent in the face of the obstacles impeding the efficient delivery of justice for all Nigerians, adding that, “the Summit will present an opportunity for us to unite our efforts, leverage our collective expertise, and chart a course toward a more just and equitable society”.

    Fagbemi expressed the hope that , the National Summit on Justice will usher in a new era of positive change and progress in the country’s justice sector, ensure a fair, accessible, and efficient legal system that upholds the rule of law while safeguarding fundamental human rights.

  • Hoodlums Burn Down Residence Of Former Nigerian Governor

    Hoodlums Burn Down Residence Of Former Nigerian Governor

    Hoodlums wreaked havoc in the Gboko area of Benue State by setting ablaze the residence of Late Aper Aku, the former Governor of the state. 

    The incident, which occurred on Monday, saw the occupants safely evacuated before the assailants touched the building. 

    Deborah Aku, daughter of the late governor, revealed that the police rescued them from the premises before the attack escalated. 

    The ordeal traces back to March when a man wielding a cutlass threatened the household, alleging his goat died after drinking water from their premises. 

    Despite reporting the issue to the police and pursuing legal recourse, the family faced another assault on Monday morning. 

    Armed with weapons, over 30 individuals besieged the house, vandalizing property, and killing their dog before setting the house ablaze. 

    The police, while able to rescue the occupants, were outnumbered by the assailants. Investigations are underway, with authorities urged to address the escalating security concerns in the area. 

    The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident, emphasizing the need for further investigation. 

    Mkeenem Moses, Senior Special Assistant to the Benue Governor, condemned the attack, calling for swift action to prevent future assaults in the region.

  • Court remands Emefiele in EFCC custody over $4.5bn, N2.8bn fraud

    Court remands Emefiele in EFCC custody over $4.5bn, N2.8bn fraud

    Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Monday, remanded the immediate-past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Emefiele, who pleaded not guilty to a fresh 26-count charge bordering on abuse of office, is to remain in the custody of the anti-graft agency pending the determination of his bail application on Thursday.

    Justice Oshodi made the decision after Emefiele and his co-defendant, Herry Omoile, pleaded not guilty to a fresh 26-count charge bordering on abuse of office brought against his by EFCC.

    However, his co-defendant, Herry Omoike, was reminded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services.

    The defence lawyer, Abdulakeem Ladi-Lawal, urged the court to admit his client to bail on self-recognition or on the most liberal terms.

    The lawyer particularly urged the court to impose the same bail conditions earlier granted to the defendant by Justice Hamzat Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja and that he be released to his lawyers pending the perfection of the bail terms.

    Reacting, counsel to the commission, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), did not oppose the bail application.

    He, however, urged the judge to impose conditions that would compel the defendants to come to court for their trial.

  • Alleged money laundering: Binance executive docked, remanded in Kuje prison

    Alleged money laundering: Binance executive docked, remanded in Kuje prison

    Binance Company and one of its executives, Tigran Gambaryan, was, on Monday, arraigned on five count charges bordering on Money Laundering by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

    On arraignment, Tigran Gambaryan pleaded not guilty of the alleged offences before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Before the arraignment, Justice Emeka Nwite had in a brief ruling dismissed the objection by Gambaryan to taking plea on behalf of Binance on the ground that he was not its representative and had no written authority to do so.

    The court held that Gambaryan had in an affidavit claimed to be representative of the company and transacted businesses on its behalf in Nigeria.

    The anti-graft agency through its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho said the offences which were committed between January 2023 and December 2023 in Abuja were contrary to and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

    Count one alleged that the defendants between January 2023 and January 2024 in Abuja carried out specialised business of other financial institutions without valid licences.

    The offence is said to be contrary to Section 57(1) and (2) of the Banks and Other Financial, Institutions Act, 2020 and punishable under Section 57(5) of the same Act.

    Although the foreign national pleaded to be remanded at the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, the plea was turned down by Justice Nwite.

    The judge subsequently ordered that the defendant be taken to Kuje Prison on remand.

    In the meantime, the matter has been adjourned until April 18 for hearing of the defendant’s application for bail and May 2 for trial of the charges.

  • Emefiele arrives in Lagos court for arraignment over alleged fraud

    Emefiele arrives in Lagos court for arraignment over alleged fraud

    The embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has arrived at the Ikeja State High Court in Lagos for his arraignment over alleged abuse of office and allocation of billions of dollars.

    Emefiele, alongside his co-defendant, one Henry Isioma Omole, will be arraigned on fresh 26 counts before Justice Rahman Oshodi this morning.

    In the charge marked ID/23787c/2024 and dated April 3, 2024, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele abused his office between 2022 and 2023 in Lagos.

    The commission alleged that the former CBN governor “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2,136,391,737.33 without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”

  • Unrest In Kaduna As Police Clash With Shiites Protesters

    Unrest In Kaduna As Police Clash With Shiites Protesters

    In Kaduna State’s capital, Kaduna, tensions flared as police clashed with Shiite protesters, leading to a state of pandemonium and unrest. 

    The confrontation unfolded as members of the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) gathered for a procession near the Katsina roundabout along Ahmadu Bello Way. 

    Despite the Federal Government’s ban on the group’s activities, the protesters persisted, prompting a response from law enforcement. 

    Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of chaos as police attempted to disperse the gathering, resulting in a frantic scramble among residents and shop owners to seek safety. 

    According to Kaduna State Police Command’s spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, the IMN members allegedly brandished dangerous weapons and attacked both civilians and police officers. 

    Several individuals sustained injuries in the skirmish. 

    The police have since made arrests of suspects allegedly in possession of weapons and have vowed to prosecute them following investigations.