Metro

EFCC Arraigns Woman, Daughter-in-law Over N6m Land Fraud[PHOTOS]

Published

1 year ago

June 4, 2024

The Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned one Blessing Nchelem and her daughter-in-law, Deborah Jack, before Justice P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State for multiple fraud.

The Commission stated this on its X handle on Tuesday.

The culprits were arraigned on four-count charges, bordering on criminal conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence and retention of proceeds of unlawful act to the tune of N6 million.

Blessing Nchelem Wabilor

Count two of the charge read, “That you, Deborah Jack, Blessing Webilor Nchelem, Chimenem Peter Webilor (now at large) between 15th November 2022 to 21st March 2023 at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud did obtain in a single transaction, the sum of Six Million Naira (N6,000,000,00) only from Senibo Richmond Opusunju as consideration for the sale of three plots of land, located at Rumuapu, Rukpokwo Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act.”

The duo also pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to them, following which prosecution counsel E. K. Esien-Otu, prayed the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial and for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), while the defence counsel, S. O. Aburu orally applied to the court to grant the defendants bail to enable them to prepare for their trial.

Deborah Jack

Justice Ajoku who declined the oral bail application, asked the defence counsel to make a formal bail application and ordered the defendants to be remanded in EFCC’s custody.

“The defendants were arrested when a petitioner alleged that in October 2022, he was introduced by his son to one of the defendants Peter Webilor, who claimed to be a property agent and had two plots of land for sale, located at Rumuapu and Rukpokwu, Obi/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State for which he later paid a total sum of N6 million into the bank account of one of the defendants, Deborah Jack.

“The petitioner, however, soon found out after payment that he could not take possession of the properties, as a different person materialized and claimed genuine ownership of the properties. Since then, all efforts made by the petitioner to recover his money met a brick wall”, Ajoku said in the EFCC statement”, Ajoku said in the EFCC statement.

Metro

NDLEA Intercepts Drugs In Factory-fitted Lipsticks At Lagos Airport

Published

3 hours ago

July 13, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a shipment of illicit substances concealed in factory-fitted female lipsticks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The discovery, which marks the second of such in less than a week, was announced by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, via a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday.

“Ladies beware! It does appear like female lipstick is becoming attractive as an instrument for concealment and trafficking now,” Babafemi warned.

“With yet another consignment of factory-fitted female lipsticks stuffed with illicit substances intercepted at MMIA barely a week after NDLEA officers uncovered a similar cargo at a courier company in Lagos.”

He urged Nigerians, particularly women, to be cautious when purchasing or accepting cosmetic products, especially from unfamiliar or suspicious online sources.

The NDLEA has yet to reveal the identity of the suspect(s) behind the latest smuggling attempt, but investigations are said to be ongoing.

Metro

50-year-old Bandit, Two Informants Arrested

Published

3 hours ago

July 13, 2025

Editor

The Zamfara State Police Command has announced the arrest of eight suspected criminals, including a 50-year-old bandit and two informants, as part of ongoing operations to dislodge criminal elements across the state.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Yazid Abubakar, the command’s Public Relations Officer, disclosed these successes during a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Gusau.

Abubakar stated that the arrested individuals include Ibrahim Mohammed, a 50-year-old suspected bandit from Maru Local Government Area of the state, two bandit informants, a gun runner, and five other suspects.

He credited the arrests to credible intelligence received from members of the public.

Items recovered during the operations include assorted rifles, a stolen ATM card, leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, and a Toyota Corolla vehicle, among other items.

The arrests are part of the Zamfara State Police Command’s sustained efforts to combat banditry and other criminal activities plaguing the state.

Metro

Woman Dies After Falling Into 170-ft Well

Published

17 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Editor

A woman has died after falling into a 170-foot well at a construction site in Ijegun, Lagos.

Her body was recovered by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service after a prolonged multi-agency operation.

The agency said it received a distress call around 7:34 pm on June 30, about the incident at Abuba Anthony Street, near Obalagbe Bus Stop, close to Fadeko International Hotel.

According to a statement by the Fire Service’s Senior Public Affairs Officer, Maria Fadairo, on Friday, emergency responders from the Ejigbo Fire Station arrived to find that a female adult had fallen into a deep well located at the front of a one-storey building still under construction.

The structure reportedly consists of six two-bedroom flats on a fenced 648-square-metre plot.

According to The PUNCH, due to the complexity of the situation, a multi-agency operation was launched. After days of coordinated efforts, the woman’s body was recovered on Thursday (July 10).

“The victim was recovered dead and handed over to officials of SEHMU, while the Lagos State Ambulance Service stood by as the Nigeria Police observed proceedings,” the statement said.

The Director of the state Fire Service, Margaret Adeseye, expressed her condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasised the importance of safety at construction sites, noting that “a 170-foot uncovered well is a severe hazard that must never be left unsecured.”

Further investigations will be handled by the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, according to the statement.