Metro

Delta Man Fakes Kidnap, Demands N50m Ransom From Parent

Published

2 weeks ago

June 13, 2024

Editor

The Delta State Police Command has arrested suspected self-kidnapper, Nelson Eserada, and his accomplice, Jerry Lawrence.

The Command’s Spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking to The PUNCH in Asaba.

He said the suspect and his accomplice reached out to Eserada’s parent and demanded N50 million ransom.

He said, “Following complaints received from the father of one Nelson Eserada at Abraka Division that his son Nelson Eserada was kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom of N50 million in bitcoin.

“The suspect also sent a video of the supposed victim tied and being tortured. The DPO Abraka SP Fabian Ayameh swiftly moved into action and embarked on a technical intelligence-led investigation. On June 10, 2024, one Jerry Lawrence of Jeddo Community Warri was arrested in connection with the crime.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect conspired with the said Nelson Eserada, a 400 Level Student of Banking & Finance Department of the Delta State University Abraka, and that the father had already paid the sum of N5.2 million ransom through a Bitcoin account belonging to the principal suspect Jerry Lawrence.”

Edafe said the suspects are in custody and the investigation was ongoing.

He also added that eight suspected armed robbers terrorizing the Asaba metropolis have been arrested by the command.

The police spokesperson said the arrest followed complaints of house-to-house armed robbery incidents received from residents in Bonsaac, Okwe, and other areas in the Asaba metropolis.

“The Commissioner of Police CP Abaniwonda Olufemi deployed a new DPO to ‘B’ division Asaba with a clear mandate to identify, and arrest those responsible.

“Consequently, on May 8, 2024, the newly posted DPO CSP Edewor Akponegware received credible information from a concerned resident (name withheld) that he cited some suspicious-looking boys around the Mango Tree Market and that they were armed.

“The DPO immediately led patrol teams of the division to the scene and in the process the following suspects were arrested, John Dalami 25, Musa Suleiman 25, Abdullahi Jibril 20, Solomon Uchechukwu 24, Yusuf Joda 21, Egboka Chukwu Charles 21, and Wisdom Sylvester 21,” he said.

Edafe said the search was conducted at the scene and a Bagco bag containing a locally made cut-to-size gun, and one live cartridge were recovered.

He said the suspects have confessed to being involved in a series of house-to-house armed robbery operations in Issele-Asagba, Coka, and Ibusa areas

The spokesperson said acting on the confessions of the suspects, the special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime squad led the operatives to their hideout at the back of DDPA estate Asaba where six additional suspects were arrested and three locally made cut-to-size guns were recovered.

Metro

Nigerian Army Pulls Out 10 Officers In Bauchi

Published

4 hours ago

June 28, 2024

Editor

The Nigerian Army Armoured Corps in Bauchi state, on Thursday, pulled out 10 officers who have retired from the military.

Speaking during the pulling out ceremony, one of the retired senior officers, who spoke on behalf of others, Maj:-Gen. Nsor Ojiji, called on the Nigerian government to continue to sustain the Armour Corps.

According to him, the corps needed a lot of equipment in tanks and Armoured fighting vehicles as well as tank ammunition.

“It is this corps that would propel the rest of the army in battle so that the commanders could achieve their objectives. So, the government has to take care of them.

“I’ve been privileged to work with the best set of human beings and people who are very committed and moving with the tanks alone commands a lot of respect and I want to say that I was in the best corps of the Nigerian Army Forces,” he said.

He also called on the Army Communities to keep up the good work, take care of one another and solidly be together.

The retired officer further urged all the commanders to continue to take care of their men and their families as well.

“I want to thank the Chief of Army Staff for all the efforts he has been making and I also wish to thank the Commander, Armoured Corps and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces for all their untiring effort to advance the Nigerian Army,” he said

Also speaking, the Commander of the Corps, Maj:-Gen. Mohammed Ahmed said he was highly grateful, satisfied and honoured to have witnessed a day filled with mixed feelings and emotions of the pulling out of the retired Senior officers.

He said “we are happy that we did what we are supposed to do.

“There is no army in the world that has enough, and the Nigerian Army has developed its capacity to the level that you can see that most of our equipment is highly maintained”.

Other pulled out officers included; Maj:-Gen M.H Magaji, Maj:-Gen G.B Audu, Maj:-Gen. M Danmadami, Maj:-Gen J.G Mohammed and Maj:-Gen U.I Mohammed.

Others included; Brig:-Gen A. Israel, Brig:-Gen B.A Mohammed, Brig:-Gen D. Abdulsalam and Brig:-Gen S.P Akpan.

Metro

Fire Guts Karu Market In Abuja

Published

4 hours ago

June 27, 2024

Editor

Photo: File copy

Karu modern market in Abuja was on Thursday evening engulfed by fire.

The raging inferno, which cause could not be immediately ascertained, was said to have affected a section of the market.

As of 8pm on Thursday, firefighters were reportedly still battling to put out the inferno.

A shop owner, Hon. Jibreel Babangoshi, he was on the ground described the situation as bad.

He said; “The Karu market situation is bad.
Only one fire truck was on ground. They had no water when the fire started. When they got water, they couldn’t gain access as shops had been constructed on every available space.
They (firefighters) had to go through the back, from the village.

“Reenforcement came from Area 10, but access remains a challenge.

“Number of shops, worth of goods destroyed not yet known. Cause of fire not yet known.

“Fire started from Informal Sector section of the market”.

Metro

EFCC Arrests 117 for Internet Fraud In Lagos

Published

4 hours ago

June 27, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested no fewer than 117 internet fraudsters in Lagos State.

The commission stated that the suspects were arrested in a sting operation at a Regional hotel in the Iyana Ishasi area of the state.

The spokesperson for the commission, Dele Oyewale disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

Oyewale said the suspects were nabbed after intelligence revealed that they were allegedly involved in a computer-related fraud.

The statement read, “Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 117 suspected internet fraudsters in Lagos.

“The suspects were arrested at Regional Hotel, Iyana- Ishasi, Lagos in a sting operation, following verified intelligence about their alleged involvement in computer-related fraud. Items recovered from the suspects, at the point of arrest, include mobile phones, laptop computers and four cars.”

Oyewale said the suspects would be charged in court as soon as investigations are concluded.

The PUNCH reports that the Regional Hotel was one of the hotels where the EFCC operatives were accused of abusing a female hotel worker.

The EFCC chairman has ordered the arrest of the officers said to have perpetrated the offence as well as an investigation into the matter.