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Army Arrests Fake Army Corporal Extorting Residents Of Rivers
The Nigeria Army in Port Harcourt has arrested one Desmond Okeh, an indigene of Anambra for parading himself as a Lance Corporal in the Army.
Lt.-Col. Ikedichi Iweha, the Spokesman of Nigeria Army 6 Division, Port Harcourt, presented the fake soldier before newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
He said the suspect was arrested following an intelligence report about the activities of the fake soldier at a new generation bank located in the Government Reserve Area of the city.
“Desmond Okeh was arrested on July 6 at a new generation bank fully dressed in the number six military camouflage and in possession of a fake military identification card.
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“The suspect was wearing the rank of Lance Corporal on Army camouflage with fake duty number: 16N/75/2038 on his forged military identification card.
“The suspected impostor also had in his possession a fake pass leaflet at the time of his arrest,” he said.
He said the fake soldier during interrogation confessed that he bought the military camouflage from Kotuku Barracks in Kaduna, and thereafter sewed it at a tailoring shop.
“Okeh said he procured the army boot from vendors opposite Alaba International Market in Lagos and printed the fake identification card at a cybercafé at Control Roundabout in Imo state.
“It is shocking to note that this same Okeh was arrested on May 15, 2022 for the same offence of impersonation and was consequently handed over to a sister security agency for prosecution.
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“However, it is unfortunate the same suspect is still on the street harassing innocent civilians by parading himself to his victims as a soldier,” he added.
Iweha urged members of the public to be conscious of the antics of criminals who present themselves as military officers to swindle them of their hard earned money and property.
“So, people should take note that not everybody in military camouflage is a real soldier,” he said.
Speaking, Okeh said his love for the military pushed him to impersonate the army after several failed attempts to join the army.
“Since 2016, I’ve been applying to be recruited into the Nigeria Army but have not been successful due to my (academic) result.
“So, anytime I am around my friends that got accepted into the army, I get carried away and get the feeling like I am part of them.
“This is why I bought a camouflage material and sewed it to feel like an officer,” he said.
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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.
READ ALSO:Ladoja Coronation Date As 44th Olubadan Revealed
The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.
Details later…
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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.
These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.
The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.
The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.
The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.
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By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.
The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.
“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”
Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.
“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.
READ ALSO:FG Gives Mining Firms Deadline For Community Agreements
“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.
He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.
“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”
In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.
He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.
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He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.
Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.
According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.
This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.
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