Metro

EFCC Arrests 45 Suspected Internet Fraudsters In Lagos

Published

2 months ago

March 13, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested 45 persons suspected to be internet fraudsters.

The suspects were arrested on Monday, following intelligence on the activities of an organised crime syndicate operating in the area.

Similarly, Justices M.S Abubakar and R.J Egbe of the Federal High Court sitting in Markurdi Benue State, convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters to various jail terms, following their arraignment by the Markurdi Zonal Command of the EFCC.

These were according to separate statements issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday.

According to the statement, items recovered from the suspects arrested in Lagos included exotic vehicles, sophisticated mobile devices, and laptops, adding that the suspects will be arraigned upon the conclusion of investigations.

“Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 45 suspected internet fraudsters. They were arrested on Monday, March 11, 2024, at Ikorodu, Lagos, following intelligence on the activities of an Organised Cybercrime Syndicate Network, OCSN, operating in that axis of the state.

“Items recovered from them at the point of arrest include exotic vehicles, sophisticated mobile devices, and laptops. They will soon be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations”, the statement read.

Meanwhile, the convicted internet fraudsters namely Ibi Suurshter, Onazi Oche, Innocent Ochola, Teseer Mnenge, and Agbo Lawrence were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges of internet fraud.

The statement also reads “After listening to all counsels, Justice Abubakar convicted and sentenced Suurshater to one-year imprisonment with an option of N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) as fine. Oche was convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment with an option of N600,000.00 (Six Hundred Thousand Naira) as fine.”

Also, the judge convicted and sentenced Ochola to two years imprisonment with an option of a fine of N1,000,000,00 (One Million Naira). Terseer Mnenge was also convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment with an option of a N200,000 fine. The fifth convict, Agbo was convicted and sentenced by Justice Egbe. He bagged one year imprisonment with an option of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) as a fine. The two judges further ordered them to forfeit all their phones, being proceeds of crime, to the government.

All the convicts started their journey to the Correctional Centre when they were arrested for internet-related offences. They were investigated individually and prosecuted.

Metro

Customs Intercept N8.7m Smuggled Petrol En Route Benin Republic

Published

5 hours ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, Western Marine Command, have intercepted 12,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit known is petrol worth N8,750,000 along the Isalu Creek Badagry Waterway en route to Benin Republic.

According to a statement and pictures shared on X.com by the NCS on Sunday, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, revealed this at the command’s headquarters on Friday.

The statement partly read, “At about 2330hrs on Wednesday, 8 May 2024, while on joint patrol based on credible intelligence, we received the movement of two boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu Creeks Badagry Waterway.

“The Customs Area Controller stated that careful examination of the seizure at the Command Headquarters revealed ‘177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing 12,500 Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at N8,750,000.”

Bamisaiye was reported to have warned smugglers to desist from their acts or risk arrest, stating that the action of the smugglers contravenes Sections 245 and 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

He was quoted as saying, “There’s a strong warning to the economic importance of this kind of seizure at a time of fuel scarcity cannot be over-emphasised.

“People are suffering due to artificial scarcity, but they are busy smuggling these products outside the country to make money. It’s either they stop this act, or we continue to arrest them. We have zero tolerance for this act.”

Similarly, the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of the NCS said it also intercepted 12,435 litres of PMS worth N10.8 million being illegally exported to Cameroon.

Metro

Customs Intercepts N10m Worth Petrol En Route Cameroon Illegally

Published

6 hours ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service, Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, has said it intercepted 12,435 litres of Premium Motor Spirit worth N10.8m being illegally exported to Cameroon.

In a statement on Saturday, the command said that the PMS was intercepted within two weeks.

The command added in the statement said the product was packed in 491 jerrycans, 25 litres each and eight jerrycans 20 litres each.

The Customs Area Comptroller in charge of the command, Garba Bashir, explained that the PMS was intercepted alongside the means of conveyance.

“The officers, while on anti-smuggling operations along the command frontiers within two weeks, recorded five incidents of interception of premium motor spirit on its way to the neighbouring country, Cameroon

“The petrol and the means of conveyance were valued at NN10.8m,” he said.

The CAC stated that no suspect was arrested, adding that the perpetrators abandoned the items and absconded in an attempt to avoid arrest.

Bashir added that the seizures of the items were in line with sections 150 and 248 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, “and considering the facts that the command’s territorial borders are officially closed.”

He stated that the petrol had been auctioned due to its inflammable nature.

He added that smuggling activities have done more harm than good to the nation.

“It hinders our national growth, strangles our trade policies with regards to revenue, foreign investment, preservation of domestic trade and growth, food security, and public security,” Bashir said.

“We want to unwaveringly tell the smugglers that our operatives are strategically repositioned along the borderlines to fasten their exit out of this illicit business,” he added.

He solicited the support of the border communities in the fight against smuggling.

The Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, Yola, of the NCS is one of the commands under Zone B Customs, headquartered in Kaduna.

Metro

Man Trailed, Shot Dead In Abuja

Published

17 hours ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

A young man identified as Khalid Bichi, was on Friday night, May 10, shot dead by yet to be identified persons.

According to reports, Khalid was trailed by the men who shot him dead in the Maitama area of Abuja

The deceased was a staff of FIRS with social media X handle @Khalid_Bichi, was on his way to get food when the unfortunate incident happened. He was rushed to Maitama General Hospital where he eventually died.

Confirming the incident to LIB, the spokesperson of the command, SP Josephine Adeh, said the matter is currently being investigated and that efforts are being made to apprehend the killers.