News

Edo: Controversy Trails Alleged Marriage Of Nigerian Lady, Danish Citizen

Published

1 year ago

January 21, 2023

Editor

A 15 years romance between a Nigerian-born Danish citizen, Kelvin Martins and Nigerian lady, Sandra Agho that produced a son has gone sour resulting in allegations and counter allegations between the two.

At the centre of the controversy was how the product of the relationship, a four-year-old Johnnes Owen Martins found his way to Denmark when he was two years.

Also in dispute was whether there was a traditional marriage between Sandra and Martins as alleged by Sandra or that Sandra only consented to bear a child for Martins because his wife couldn’t have a child due to cancer as claimed by Martins.

Sandra therefore accused Martins of deceiving her into handing over her son to him and thereafter using interpol to ban her from visiting Denmark to have custody of her son.

These have now become a subject of police investigation and involvement of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Human Persons and other related offences (NAPTIP), Interpol and the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission.

The issues became public last week when Martins instructed his lawyer, Douglas Ogbankwa to reclaim his property from Sandra.

I’m married to Martins — Sandra

In a petition dated July 29th, 2022, and addressed to the Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Sandra accused Martins of child trafficking, deceit and abduction.

Part of her petition reads, “I am constrained to bring to your notice the fraudulent act of my husband, Mr Kelvin Uyi Martins, who dishonestly asked for my hand in marriage from my parents and I stayed with him in his house at GRA, Benin City, Edo State for fourteen years. Subsequently, I got pregnant and had a baby boy on 16th March, 2019. He invited me to pay a visit to Denmark with my child and the trip was scheduled for the 14th August, 2019. But my visa was blocked.

“My child was flown to Denmark and finally taken over by my husband. Thereafter he sent me a divorce letter and asked me to move out of his house while he sent some assassins in Benin City after me so that he would continue to be with our child in Denmark with another barren woman who cannot bear a child for him. It is unfortunate that he used me as a baby producing machine.”

Recounting her experience to journalists in Benin City, Sandra said, “on March 6 2021, I had a traditional marriage with Martins. How can he deny that there was no marriage? This was a marriage where the venue was paid for, marriage materials were provided and over 100 people were in attendance including his friends. There is a video to that effect and other evidence which will be produced at the appropriate time. My interest is not in any property of Martins but my son. I need my son back to Nigeria”. She said

Sandra dismissed allegations that she wanted to appropriate Martins’ properties adding that all the landed properties she bought jointly with him were in his name.

She said the Toyota Hi-lander jeep Martins was asking for was a gift from him when he delivered a baby boy and that the Interpol and other relevant agencies were aware of the matter.

One Goddy Orhorho who claimed to be a cousin to Martins said Sandra was properly married to Martins who was unable to attend the ceremony then and asked him and other family members to stand in for him.

He said, “I am actually related to Martins. Sometime in 2021 myself and some family members related to Martins went to marry this young lady on his behalf. There was no issue then and even a few weeks after the marriage, Martins came to Nigeria and took us to a hotel to host us in appreciation of what we did on his behalf.

“After that, he also took us to his house in Ugbor. Martins is my cousin. At the time the marriage was conducted Martins’ father was sick and because he wasn’t in good relationship with his siblings, he sent me and Mathew Ogiame to organize other family members”.

However, when contacted, Mathew Ogiame who was said to have attended the marriage denied ever attending any marriage as claimed.

According to him, “there was nothing like marriage. What I saw was a party. When I got there none of Martins’ brothers, sisters and parents were there. Let her bring the video or photograph to justify her claim. I was deceived to be there. Since we are Martins’ friends we didn’t want to just leave like that so that they would not see us as bad people. I don’t know anything about marriage. It never happened.” Also, a family member of Martins, who did not want to be mentioned, corroborated the position of Ogiame, saying, “one thing I know is that Kelvin was legally married to a South Korean woman named Mina and the entire family is aware of it. I don’t think he was married to any other person. If they said Sandra was married, ask her who was there when they got married? In Benin, if we want to marry, the families of the boy and the girl usually come together and go for the marriage.”

Before the demise of Mina, Sandra was said to have flown to Tanzania to meet with Martins and Mina where the idea of having a child for them since Mina could not conceive as a result of ovarian cancer was allegedly muted.

She was never my wife —Martins

In his own claim, Martins alleged that “Sandra was the one who requested that she would have a child for me and my wife. She did that because she knew I had no child. I even offered that if she wanted to see our child I could make an arrangement and we would meet in Dubai but they don’t want that. The Interpol warned me not to go to Nigeria. Johannes is my biological son. If a child is not with his mother, he is with his father”.

Martins in a voice note sent to journalists said that he could not have contracted another marriage as it is against the law having been married. He said a meeting was arranged between Sandra and his late wife in Tanzania. According to him, “my wife had insisted on meeting the person who wanted to have a child for us. She (Sandra) is the one who offered to have a child for me and my wife. She met my wife and said she was doing it because my wife had cancer and couldn’t have a child. She was like a family friend to me and my wife. After that, my wife lived for five years before she died and she started making trouble and telling lies. I challenged her to back her claims of marriage with concrete evidence.

“Sometimes in April 2022, I got a visit by the Danish Interpol with a claim that Sandra made a petition to Nigeria Interpol that I stole my child, that I was married to her. I allowed the Interpol into my apartment in Denmark due to the reason that I work with the military as well and they explained to me that there was nothing illegal the way I brought my son to Denmark.

“They said they believed she wanted a relationship with me. I told the Interpol it was not possible for me to have a relationship with her because I just lost my wife. They concluded that with all the lies against me and the Danish embassy they banned her from coming to Denmark and they sent their report to Nigeria Interpol. That is why she is now sending a petition to the Inspector General of Police, IGP in Abuja claiming that we connived with the Interpol. This can be confirmed from the Interpol in Nigeria. Since she made this petition in June nobody has contacted me again on this”

On the allegation of abduction and child trafficking, a document dated 21st January, 2020 with ref No: WLC/SPA/2020/001, from the legal firm of Obasuyi & Obasuyi in Benin titled: LETTER OF CONSENT TO KELVIN UYI MARTINS IN ORDER TO HAVE FULL CUSTODY OF HIS SON JOHANNES OWEN MARTINS) indicated that Sandra agreed to give her son to Martins.

Part of the letter reads, “We are solicitors and write on the instruction of Sandra Palmer Agho hereinafter referred to as our client. Our client who is presently resident in Nigeria is the biological mother of Johannes Owen Martins who was born on March 16th, 2019. The biological father, Kelvin Uyi Martins of the said Johannes Owen Martins is presently resident in Denmark specifically at Kongedybet 2, St. TV 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark.

“This letter is thus meant to notify the necessary authorities both here in Nigeria and Denmark that our client, Sandra Palmer Agho, gives consent of full custody of Johannes Owen Martins to his biological father Kelvin Uyi Martins. This letter of consent is further supported by an affidavit of consent personally deposed to by Sandra Palmer Agho and it is our hope and anticipation that this letter is accorded the necessary attention.”

Sandra however insisted that she was tricked into this and expressed hope that with the intervention of necessary authorities and agencies, she would get justice and get her son back.

“He is our son, I cannot deny that but I want him to be with me and grow with me and after he is grown, he can come and have him”, Sandra said.

News

Gunmen Kidnap A’Ibom Monarch

Published

42 mins ago

May 19, 2024

Editor

Paramount ruler in Mbo Local Government Area (LGA) of Akwa Ibom state, HRM Ogwong Okon A. Abang, has been kidnapped in his palace at Ebughu.

The abduction was said to have been carried out at about 9pm on Saturday. Recall that doctors in the state have downed tools over the kidnap of their colleague, Dr John Robbin Esu, who remains in the kidnappers den nearly three weeks after.

Like the case of Dr. Esu who was kidnapped in Oron LGA, the kidnap of the Paramount Ruler of Mbo, has raised more concern over the collapsed security architecture in Oron nation.

Only last week, the wife of Chief Asukwo Eweme Ulap Okon, aka Levile, a prominent political figure was also abducted in Oron.

Akwa Ibom State Police Command was yet to offer a word on the monarch’s abduction, but Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara and other service Commanders were moving to the Ebughu Palace of the victim at the time of filing this report.

News

Couple Declared Wanted Over Cocaine Seizures

Published

1 hour ago

May 19, 2024

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has arrested four members of a drug cartel who runs a cocaine cartel from India in Lagos with a Sports Utility vehicle and two houses belonging to the syndicate, already traced to them sealed for forfeiture to the Federal Government.

This is just as a couple, Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade (alias Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun) and Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade (alias Bolarinwa Rashidat Ayinke), also members of the cartel have been declared wanted by NDLEA in connection with cocaine trade.

Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi who made this known, said “Two other members of the syndicate, Imran Taofeek Olalekan and Ishola Isiaka Olalekan were arrested on April 3, 2024 following their bid to export 3.40kg cocaine on a Qatar Airlines flight going to Oman through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos.

“While Imran was the courier conveying the drug consignment to Oman, Ishola recruited him for the head of the cartel, which investigation has now revealed to be Alhaji Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade whose Indian residence permit bears Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun based in India.

“Efforts to dismantle his network in Nigeria paid off after five weeks of surveillance and follow up operations when another member of the syndicate, Hamed Abimbola Saheed who works directly with the baron was arrested on Tuesday 14th May at Abule Egba area of Lagos.

“It was indeed Saheed who lodged Imran in a hotel a day before his aborted trip to Oman and equally dropped him and Ishola at the Lagos airport the day they were arrested.

“During a search of Hamed house, NDLEA operatives recovered some phenacetine, a cutting agent for Cocaine, weighing 900 grams.

“He confessed that the recovered substance was what was left of the consignment Imran was taking to Oman the day he was arrested.

“His arrest led to a follow up operation at the home of the Owoalade couple at 20 Eyiaro street, Ogudu Orioke, Lagos where another suspect was arrested and a new model Toyota RAV4 SUV marked FKJ-773 JJ belonging to Rashidat and additional 400 grams of Cocaine recovered in addition to already prepared suitcases to be used for illicit drug concealment, digital weighing scales and other paraphernalia”.

In the same vein, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, attached to a courier firm in Lagos on Wednesday 15th May intercepted two parcels, containing Cocaine and Amphetamine concealed in steel bolts and shea butter.

While the cocaine weighing 587 grams, was concealed in eight steel bolt screws going to China, the Amphetamine consignment packed in vape pens and hidden in shea butter was going to the United Kingdom.

Attempts by Emeka Nwadiaro (aka Mega) to export 3.6kg Loud, a strain of cannabis concealed in 36 water flasks to Dubai, UAE was also thwarted at a logistic company in Port Harcourt, Rivers state on Thursday 16th May while a swift follow up operation led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Emeka Nwadiaro in Onitsha, Anambra state same day.

While NDLEA operatives in Lagos intercepted a mercedes benz bus loaded with 840kg cannabis and arrested the driver, Samuel Henry, at Olojo in Ojo LGA, Lagos, another suspect, Lawal Adam was nabbed along Otukpo road, Aliade, Benue state on Friday 17th May with 75,000 pills of opioids including tramadol and exol-5.

Two suspects: Olisa Etisi, 32, and Jonathan Umeh, 25, were arrested along Owerri – Onitsha road, Imo state following the discovery by NDLEA operatives of a big gas cyclinder used to conceal six blocks of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 3.85kg.

In Borno state, 70-year-old Adamu Mohammed was arrested at Mbulamel, Biu LGA on Thursday 16th May with 2kg cannabis and 33.55grams of diazepam, while Gaddafi Sani, 27, was arrested with 30 kilograms of cannabis along Abuja-Kaduna road, Kaduna.

In Yobe state, a consignment of 91.1kg opioids and 13kg cannabis going to Maiduguri, Borno state, was recovered from hidden compartments of a petrol tanker along Potiskum-Damaturu road by NDLEA officers who arrested the driver, Ismaila Ali.

No less than four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure of 2,025 pieces of improvised explosive devices (IED) materials intercepted in a Toyota hummer bus marked AGL 905 XX by NDLEA officers along Agaie – Lapai road, Niger state.

The duo of Abdulrauf Shitu Adeyemi, 46, and Asmiyu Rahim, 45, conyeying the IED materials were arrested on the spot. Follow up operations led to the arrest of Husaini Abdullahi, 25, at Sokoto main market, Sokoto and Nazifi Abdullahi, 37, at Naibawa Motor Park, Kano on Friday 17th May.

The Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed that all four suspects and the explosive materials be transferred to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.

In another operation, Muhammad Lawal, 42, was nabbed at Central Market Motor Park, Katsina State with 1,000 Ampoules of Pentazocine injection.

Also, a total of 105kg cannabis was on Friday 17th May recovered from a house at Obola community, Owan West LGA, Edo state and a suspect, Gloria Oris arrested when NDLEA officers raided the area.

In Kwara state, two suspects: Abdulganiyu Karaman, 55, and Sunday Abel, 37, were on Saturday 18th May arrested with 83kg cannabis and tramadol at Boriya, Baruten LGA, and Offa respectively.

With the same vigour, the various commands of the Agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week.

Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students and teachers of Government Girls Science secondary school, Malumfashi and Government Girls Science Secondary School, Daudawa, Katsina; Government Girls Science College, Tunga Magajiya Rijau LGA, Niger state.

Others are students and teachers of St. Theresa’s College Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo state; students of Government Girls Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Kano; students of Dein secondary school, Imobi secondary school and St. Columbas Grammar School, Agbor, Delta State.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Rivers, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Yobe, Borno, Niger, Benue, Kwara, Imo, and Edo Commands of the Agency as well as those of DOGI for their outstanding feats in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) said the efforts have further affirmed the cardinal role of NDLEA in the security architecture of the country.

He equally applauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures to create a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.

News

SERAP Sues 36 Governors, FCT Minister Over FAAC Allocations

Published

2 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Editor

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has sued Nigeria’s 36 governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,Nyesom Wike.

They were sued for failing “to account for the spending of trillions of Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations collected by their states and the FCT since 1999″.

This was contained in a release on Sunday by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

The release said the lawsuit followed reports that the FAAC disbursed N1.123 trillion to federal, state, and local governments for March 2024. They shared N1.208 trillion in April. States collected N398.689 billion in March while they collected N403.403 billion in April.

In the suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/666/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP asked the court to “direct and compel the governors and Wike to publish spending details of the FAAC allocations collected by their states and the FCT since 1999 including the list and locations of projects executed with the money.”

The organisation also asked the court to “compel the governors and Mr Wike to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to probe any allegations of corruption linked to the allocations and to monitor how the money is spent”.

It argued that, “Nigerians ought to know in what manner public funds including FAAC allocations, are spent by the governors and FCT minister.”

“Opacity in the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by the governors and Mr Wike would continue to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens,” SERAP said.

It noted that trillions of FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT have allegedly gone down the drain.

It believes that, “Directing and compelling the governors and FCT minister to provide the information sought and widely publish the spending details of the FAAC allocations collected by them would serve legitimate public interests.”

It added, “The failure by the governors and the FCT ministers to account for the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by them is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part, “States and the FCT should be guided by transparency and accountability principles and proactively account for the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by them.

“Secrecy in the spending of FAAC allocations collected by the governors and the FCT minister also denies Nigerians the right to know how public funds are spent. Transparency in the spending would allow them to retain control over their government.

“The governors and FCT minister have a legal obligation to provide the information sought including the list of specific projects completed with the FAAC allocations collected, the locations of any such projects and completion reports of the projects.

“The information sought should also include details of the salaries and pensions paid from the FAAC allocations collected, as well as the details of projects executed on hospitals and schools with the FAAC allocations.

“Despite the increased FAAC allocations to states and FCT, millions of residents in several states and the FCT continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and services”

It added, “The reported removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the exchange rate by the Federal Government has translated into increased FAAC allocations to states and the FCT. However, there is no corresponding improvement in the security and welfare of millions of Nigerians.

“FAAC allocations received by the states and the FCT are reportedly characterised by mismanagement, diversion of funds, and abandoned projects. FAAC allocations have also been allegedly spent for other purposes such as election campaigns and political patronage.

“Publishing the documents on the spending of FAAC allocations by the states and the FCT would promote transparency, accountability, and reduce the risks of corruption in the spending of the funds.

“Publishing the documents would also enable Nigerians to meaningfully engage in the implementation of projects executed with the FAAC allocations collected.”

SERAP noted that the report that “some 140 million Nigerians are poor suggests corruption and mismanagement in the spending of trillions of naira in FAAC allocations collected by the states and the FCT”.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.