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Hoodlums Steal N30m Goods From Lagos Shop, Couple Tackles Guards

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A media consultant, Omokioja Eto, and his wife, Helen, have accused the guards securing the Ikota Shopping Complex of aiding armed robbery suspects who burgled and stole goods valued at N30m at their shop at the complex in the Ajah area of Lekki, Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro gathered that after business owners plying their trades in the complex closed business transactions, they locked their shops, and left their property in the care of the guards employed to secure the complex.

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Things, however, took another turn when armed robbers, during an operation on March 7, 2023, broke into the couple’s shop and stole property, including mobile phones worth N30m.

Speaking with our correspondent, Eto, while lamenting over the development, said the armed robbers had unfettered access to the complex because the security guards on duty claimed they forgot to close the complex’s main gate.

READ ALSO: Hoodlums Set Ebonyi High Court Building Ablaze

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Eto said, “The robbery was shocking because the security gate is inaccessible even to shop owners at night; our shop is just a stone’s throw from the gate and it would have taken at least two hours to cut through the shop’s security system.

“The guards told us that they forgot to close the gate and this makes us strongly see the guards as the main suspects. A representative of HFP Properties Limited that is managing the shop contracted the security affairs of the complex to a company, Finesse Security Limited that posted the guards to the complex. Both the facility management company and the security company did not immediately notify us of the robbery.

“It was one of our employees that informed us. Since the break-in on March 7 till date, the security company has not called to sympathise with us. Instead, the managing director has been evading our calls and text messages. We learnt he travelled abroad after the robbery.

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READ ALSO: JUST IN: Pandemonium As Hoodlums Invade IDPs Camp In Edo, Cart Away Voting Materials

“We reported the case at the Ajah police station and the guards were arrested. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, and we are doing everything to support the police investigation despite our predicament. We hope they will bring the culprits to justice.”

Also lamenting over the development, Helen, who had been conducting business on the complex for about two decades, said the shop that was looted was her family’s source of livelihood, adding that her family’s life savings and bank loans were used in purchasing the goods that were stolen.

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She said, “We took bank loans for the business plus our life savings all of which are gone. This is a wicked plan against us in our old age with children still in school, other dependants and various bills.

READ ALSO: Again, Hoodlums Attack Anambra Police Station, Kill Three

“We plead that the police should help us to get to the bottom of the looting to save us from early deaths as our blood pressures have gone up sharply because this is our main source of livelihood. A list of the goods looted from the shop was attached to my statements at the Ajah Police Station and the SCID, Yaba.”

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Contacted for a reaction on Sunday, the complex’s facility manager, one Mr Obaseki, simply said, “I cannot talk to you now. I am under medication.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, when contacted, confirmed the robbery incident in a text message sent to our correspondent.

Yes. An investigation is ongoing at the SCID,” the text message read.
PUNCH

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Senate committee threatens arrest warrant for NNPCL GCEO

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The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, to appear before it on July 10.

The committee said that it might be compelled to issue an arrest warrant if Ojulari failed to appear before on the said date.

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The committee, chaired by Sen. Ahmed Wadada, issued the directive during a brief session of the committee in Abuja after officials of the NNPCL failed to appear before it as expected.

Their presence was required to respond to queries raised last week regarding a staggering N210 trillion allegedly unaccounted for by the company between 2017 and 2023, as detailed in an audit report.

READ ALSO: NNPCL Spokesperson Soneye Resigns

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Rather than appear, the NNPCL, in a letter signed by Adedapo Segun on behalf of the GCEO and read by the committee clerk, Sani Abdullahi, requested an additional two months to prepare a detailed response.

Wadada strongly rejected the request and condemned the absence of NNPCL officials, saying it demonstrated a disregard for the committee’s summons.

“We expected representatives from the NNPCL to be before us today to answer questions thrown at them last week on issues or queries raised in the audit reports before us.

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“Their absence is unacceptable, and as a result, this committee is giving the relevant officials from NNPCL ten working days from today, which ends on July 10.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: NNPCL Set To Sell Shares

“This committee was not expecting any documents from NNPCL today but answers to the eleven questions thrown at its representatives last week.

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“Therefore, the GCEO of NNPCL must appear before us on July 10 for the expected answers.”

He added that the failure to appear on the scheduled date would leave the committee with no choice but to invoke and assert all its constitutional powers to compel the GCEO’s appearance.

Wadada also declared that the committee may adopt audit queries against other defaulting agencies.

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These agencies are the FCT High Court and the Federal Ministries of Solid Minerals, Steel Development, and Finance. If they fail to appear before the committee on Tuesday next week, they will hear from us,” he said.
(NAN)

 

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2025 UTME Mop-Up: 85,790 Candidates Haven’t Printed Exam Slips – JAMB

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Barely 24 hours to the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, mop-up, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has expressed deep concern regarding the low number of candidates that have so far printed their examination notification slips, which will authorise them to write the examination.

JAMB had scheduled the 2025 UTME mop-up examination for Saturday, June 28, 2025.

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In a statement on Friday, JAMB regretted that “As of this morning (Friday), only 12,442 out of the 98,232 scheduled candidates have printed their slips, reflecting a mere 12.6% participation rate.”

To this end, it appealed to candidates who missed their previous examinations, to reprint their slips to ensure they do not miss this opportunity.

READ ALSO: JAMB: ‘Some Sections Had No Questions, Just Answers’; UTME Candidates Narrate Experiences

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“We strongly encourage all candidates, particularly those, who missed the main examination, to print their notification slips promptly.

“This is a rare opportunity for them to participate in this year’s examination,” it appealed in the statement that was issued through its spokesman, Fabian Benjamin.

The statement read further: ”We urge all candidates, who missed their previous examinations, to reprint their slips to ensure they do not miss this opportunity.

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“The Board is actively monitoring the printing process to determine the number of candidates who will be present for the examination.

READ ALSO: Mass Failure: UTME Candidates To Sue JAMB Over Technical Glitches

“Meanwhile, we have deployed both human and material resources to facilitate this exercise, ensuring that all registered candidates have the opportunity to sit the examination.

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“Please note that failure to print the examination notification slip will result in forfeiture of the opportunity to take the examination.

“Once again, we urge all candidates to proceed immediately to print their slips for the examination scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, 28th June, 2025.”

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Arson: Man To Pay N150m For Burning FRSC Patrol Vehicle In Bauchi

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A man, Nasiru Gwallaga has been found guilty of committing a crime of burning down a patrol vehicle of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Bara village of Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi state in 2023.

The Sector Commander of FRSC in the state, Istifanus Ibrahim who disclosed the development in an interview with newsmen on Friday, said that the convict was charged to pay the sum of N150 million representing the value of the burnt vehicle to FRSC in the state.

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According to him, Gwallaga and two other accomplices were also sentenced to one year imprisonment or a fine of N15,000 respectively for conspiracy to commit obstruction, obstruction of civil servants and assault of public servants while on duty.

READ ALSO: How UNICEF’s Initiative Changes Narrative Of Access To Healthcare Services In Bauchi

He explained that the trio were convicted and sentenced by Justice Safiya Doma, at the Chief Magistrate Court, Fadama Mada, Bauchi State on June 23, 2025.

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The FRSC boss added that Gwallaga was also found guilty of causing bodily harm to FRSC staff and was to pay the sum of N170,000 for damaging samsung galaxy phone of the then Acting Unit Commander (UC).

“All the convicts were ordered to pay N50,000 representing the cost spent in prosecuting the case by the nominal complainant.

READ ALSO: 2027: Bauchi Speaker Responds To Call To Join Guber Race

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“The Judge ruled that they have a right of appeal to the High Court of Justice within 30 days of the Judgement.

“This will serve as a deterrent to those who take the law into their own hands.

“Members of the motoring public are advised to be law abiding as we are not enemies, but compatriots on the road to save lives and property,” said the Sector Commander.

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