Metro

Court Jails Crime Alert Security Network Boss 75 Years For Fraud

Published

2 years ago

December 20, 2023

Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, on Thursday, convicted and sentenced the Chief Executive Officer of Crime Alert Security Network, Ibadan, Olaniyan Gbenga Amos, to 75 years imprisonment for multiple investment frauds.

Olaniyan, according to a statement from the Head of Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Dele Oyewale, on Tuesday, was convicted alongside his firm, Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited on December 14, 2023.

They were said to have been prosecuted on 35 count charges by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, bordering on obtaining by false pretences, contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.

The statement partly read, “Count 35 of the charge read: “That you, Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited, on or about the 20th of February, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N1,540,000 only from Akinlabi Qasim Dada, when you falsely represented to him that the money was meant for registration and investment with Crime Alert Security Network with a promise of 30% return on investment in six weeks (30 working days), which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of obtaining money under false pretence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.”

“Another charge read, “That you, Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited on or about 27th of August, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N170,000 only from Alhaji Mukaila Odunayo, when you falsely represented to him that the money was meant for registration and investment with Crime Alert Security Network with a promise of 30% return on Investment in six weeks (30 working days), which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of obtaining money under false pretence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.”

The defendants were said to have pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

Given his plea, the EFCC counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi, opened the case on February 17, 2022, and called six witnesses, tendered eight exhibits and closed the case on January 24, 2023.

The counsel disclosed further that “at the end of the prosecution’s case, the defendant filed a “no case submission” which was overruled by the court. Consequently, the defendant opened and closed his case by calling three witnesses. Thereafter, Justice Taiwo reserved judgment in the matter till December 14, 2023.

“At the resumption of the trial on Thursday, December 14, 2023, Justice Taiwo convicted and sentenced the defendant to 15 years imprisonment on each of counts 27, 32, 33, 34, and 35 but discharged and acquitted the defendant on counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19; 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29; 30 and 31 respectively.

“Furthermore, the court ordered that the sentence should run concurrently and the defendant should also restitute the victims.

“Olaniyan has three other ongoing trials before federal and state High Courts in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“The convict’s journey to the correctional centre began when he was arrested and arraigned before Justice Bayo Taiwo on December 14, 2021, by the EFCC. He swindled several individuals through fake investment ventures that led to the loss of money to the tune of over N1bn by the investors.

“Olaniyan deliberately reneged to meet up with the agreements he made with his investors, by not paying the agreed “Return on Investment” to those who invested in “Crime Alert Security Network”, a security investment programme under the umbrella of his firm.”

PUNCH

Metro

JUST IN: Ex-soldiers Resume Protest Over Unpaid Benefits

Published

23 minutes ago

September 4, 2025

Editor

A group of discharged Nigerian soldiers on Thursday resumed protests in Abuja, demanding the payment of their entitlements.

The ex-soldiers called off their protest on August 4, after a meeting with officials of the Ministries of Defence and Finance, who assured them that their outstanding entitlements would be paid by August 10.

The ex-servicemen, who converged on the Ministry of Finance headquarters in the nation’s capital, accused the authorities of neglect and failure to honour promises made after their meeting last month.

One of the protesters, identified as Mama G, said they were forced to return to the streets after previous assurances yielded no results.

“We are here because the promises made to us were never fulfilled. We had no choice but to return to the streets. This time around, the protest will be massive”, Mama G said.

This is not the first time the group has demonstrated. In recent years, retired soldiers have repeatedly taken to the streets in Abuja and other cities over what they describe as unfair treatment and neglect.

The Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters and Military Pension Board have yet to issue an official response as of the time of filing this report.

Details later…

Metro

20-year-old Mother Buries Newborn Alive

Published

14 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old mother, Maryam Atiku, for allegedly attempting to kill her newborn baby girl by burying her alive in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

According to a police statement, made available to newsmen on Wednesday by the command spokesman, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, “the incident occurred on June 25, 2025, when Maryam allegedly tied the baby’s neck with wrappers, covered her mouth, and buried her in a shallow grave at Malam Yaro bush.

“The following day, June 26, a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, while working on his farm near the area, discovered a patch of disturbed soil resembling a fresh grave.

“He raised an alarm and, with the help of nearby residents, exhumed the baby, who was found alive. The infant was rushed to General Hospital, Kamba, where doctors confirmed her condition as stable after receiving medical attention”

The statement said police detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department promptly arrested Maryam, who confessed to the crime during interrogation.

“Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Sani, described the act as “inhuman and unacceptable,” reiterating the Command’s zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence.

”He urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to protect children under their care and not compromise their future due to poverty or other pressures.

“The Police Commissioner commended the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasir Idris, for supporting the welfare of the rescued baby and praised Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad for his timely intervention.

“The suspect will be arraigned in court, where she will face prosecution aimed at serving as a deterrent to others.”

Metro

Fresh Boat Accident Kills 29 In Niger

Published

14 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

29 persons have been confirmed dead in a boat accident that occurred on Tuesday in Niger State.

The incident happened in a community called Gausawa in Borgu LGA. at about 11:30am.

The boat was loaded with 90 people including women and children who were going for a condolence visit in another community.

The cause of the accident was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp, according to The PUNCH.

It was learnt that the passengers were not wearing any life jacket when the boat accident occurred.

An anonymous source in the ministry of transport disclosed that the boat passengers were not wearing life jacket, pointing out that if they were wearing life jackets more people would have been rescued.

“The passengers were obviously not wearing life jackets, because if they had been, more, if not all of them would have survived the accident.

“Borgu is very far and a lot of these passengers do not like to wear the life jackets for reasons best known to them,” the source said.

As at the time of filing this report, 29 corpses had been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while two people are said to be still missing.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah confirmed the accident saying search and recue operation was still ongoing.

He said, “NSEMA has received a report of boat mishap incident at a community called Gausawa in Malale area/ward of Borgu LGA.

“According to our desk officer who led the search and rescue operations, the boat took off from a community called Tugan Sule in Shagunu ward with 90 people on board which includes women and children on the boat heading to Dugga for a condolence visit”

NSEMA DG added that, “The incident happened yesterday, 2nd September 2025 at about 11:30am and the cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp.

“As at the time of filling this report 29 dead bodies have been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while 2 people are still missing.

“Search and rescue operations are still on going for possible recovery of missing persons.”

This is the second boat accident in Niger State in 2025.

The first one happened in July and was attributed to tree stomp.

The National Inland Waterway Agency had distributed life jackets in Mokwa after the flood incident which killed over 200 people.