Metro

Court Orders Remand Of Registrar, Banker In Federal Correctional Custody

Published

2 years ago

November 2, 2023

Editor

A Senior Magistrate Court 3, sitting in Suleja, Nigeria, has ordered the remand in federal correctional custody of a court registrar and a banker.

The presiding Senior Magistrate, Hajiya Halima Alhassan, who gave the order on November 1st, had turned down the bail application moved by the banker’s defence counsel, Barr. Nuhu Edah.

The two defendants were arraigned on two separate charges by the men of the ‘A’ Divisional Police Command in Suleja on the allegation of forging court affidavits for unsuspecting members of the public in Suleja.

Abdullahi Ismaila, a banker, and Aliyu Ismaila Evuti, a court registrar with the Niger State Judiciary, were separately standing trials on three counts of charges: using a genuine forged document, impersonation, and forgery.

The court registrar was separately arraigned on two counts of breach of trust and negligent conduct, which contravened sections 314 and 196 of the penal code law.

The banker was also separately arraigned on three counts of charges, which included using a genuine forged document, impersonation, and forgery, which are punishable under sections 179, 321, and 366 of the penal code.

According to the charge sheet marked Sul/Smc/Cr/41/2023, on October 23, 2023, the “above-mentioned case was referred from Chief Magistrate Court Suleja for Investigation.

“That on October 20, 2023, you Abdullahi Ismaila, also known as “Man of God,” used a genuine forged court affidavit you signed as the Commissioner of Oath and issued it to one Sunday Bitrus of Zuba FCT Abuja, who came to UBA Bank to effect a correction of his names.

“During the police investigation, you confessed to the commission of the crime and also said you have used this method to collect money from three different unknown persons.”.

When the charges were read to them by the presiding senior magistrate, Halima Alhassan, they both pleaded not guilty to the charges and the police prosecutor, ASP Saidu Ibrahim Katakpa, objected to the bail of the defendant on the ground that the offence for which the defendant was charged was not bailable and requested their remand at the correctional custody.

The second defendant in the case, the prosecutor, ASP Agwajinya Smart Solomon, informed the court that investigations into the case had been completed and urged the court to give them a date to commence a full trial.

However, both defendants were represented by lawyers, and they orally applied for bail with the assurance that they would produce a reasonable surety that would stand for them throughout the trial.

At this point, Senior Magistrate Halima Alhassan, while granting the request of the prosecutor, refused the bail of the banker as his charge was not bailable, while she adjourned until 7 to rule on the bail application moved by the counsel of the court registrar and ordered their remand until November 22, 2023.

Metro

Police Arrest Ex-Soldier, Four Others Over Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In Anambra

Published

6 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of five suspected members of a notorious armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate, including a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army, in Awka, the state capital.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the operation was carried out on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Awkuzu.

Ikenga said the operation was carried out after the Command received intelligence on the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka.

The victim was reportedly released after an undisclosed amount of ransom was paid.

The police spokesperson said that, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives stormed the gang’s hideout at Notoko, Awka, leading to the arrest of the confessed deserter soldier and four other suspects.

Ikenga identified the suspects as 38-year-old Dominic Oraz, a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army; 30-year-old Michael Nwobodo; 29-year-old Eze Friday; 23-year-old Uche Okolo, and 29-year-old Chinedu Gilbert.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include six automatic pump-action guns, 63 rounds of live cartridges, one microscope, five machetes, one military cap, two police teargas canisters, handcuffs, a robber’s rocket launcher, criminal charms, three Motorola walkie-talkies, one jack knife, one power bank and cash sum of N26,000,” Ikenga stated.

He said that during interrogation, Oraz admitted abandoning the military in November 2024.

Ikenga noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the deserter soldier, in collaboration with military authorities, to guide further police action and prosecution of all suspects.

He said the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended the operatives for the operation and urged residents of the state to remain vigilant and to continue to report suspicious activities to the Police for prompt action.

The commissioner also assured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes.

Metro

Police Arrest Ex-Soldier, Four Others Over Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In Anambra

Published

6 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Ikenga said the operation was carried out after the Command received intelligence on the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka.

The victim was reportedly released after an undisclosed amount of ransom was paid.

He said that during interrogation, Oraz admitted abandoning the military in November 2024.

Ikenga noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the deserter soldier, in collaboration with military authorities, to guide further police action and prosecution of all suspects.

The commissioner also assured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes.

Metro

Enugu Vigilantes Beat Young Man To Death Over Alleged Stealing Of Woman’s Clothes

Published

6 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Members of the Neighbourhood Watch in Amagu Iwollo Oghe community, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, have allegedly beaten a young man, Mr. Nosike Madueke, popularly known as Wojuwo, to death over a false theft allegation.

Community sources told SaharaReporters that the vigilante group was led by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the community, Mr. Chukwuebuka Hillary Ngwueche, also known as Osuofia.

According to one of the sources, the incident occurred on Monday, August 25, 2025, when the local security men attacked Madueke with “dangerous weapons” after he was accused of stealing a box of clothes belonging to Mrs. Nneka Nwankwo.

The source explained that Nwankwo had earlier hired Madueke and his co-workers to repair or dig her septic tank and soakaway, but later raised an alarm claiming her box of clothes had gone missing.

“Instead of handing Madueke over to the appropriate authority, especially the police, they decided to jointly and severally take the laws into their respective hands by arresting Madueke, dragging him to his house for a search, bringing out his clothes, and burning all the clothes,” the source said.

“They tied Madueke on both his hands and legs and started profusely, taking turns by using offensive weapons such as guns, machetes, and irons, to beat him up till he died.”

“This happened in public at Iwollo Oghe Square. How can a trained CSO and his men kill a whole human being on a mere allegation by a woman of stealing her cloth, which was later found,” the source said.

“The young boy was from Imeziolo, Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State.”

According to another source, this marks the third time residents of Iwollo Oghe, either directly or through its purported security outfits, have been linked to the killing of people from the deceased’s community.

“Sometime in 1987, they shot Hyacinth Adinde with a gun and asked the people of Madueke community to do their worst.

“Also, years later, they killed Engr. Christopher Aniagbaoso, and yet they asked the people of the community to do their worst.

“The people of Iwollo Oghe are in the habit of killing the people of Imeziolo on mere suspicious grounds,” the source alleged.

“We call on the Enugu State command to do justice to this case as information reaching us revealed that the men are on the run after killing the young boy,” the source added.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed the deceased being beaten with sticks by men believed to be members of the Neighbourhood Watch, who were seen parading him along a community road.

Moments later in the footage, his lifeless body appeared on the ground, surrounded by residents, some of whom lamented, “See how they killed somebody’s only son for nothing.”

According to a source, the case has since been reported to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Enugu State Police Command.

However, repeated attempts by SaharaReporters to obtain the reaction of the Police Command were unsuccessful.

Calls to the mobile phone of the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, went unanswered, and a WhatsApp message sent to him also received no response as of the time of filing this report.