Crime

N80bn Fraud: Arrest Of Accountant-General Proves IPPIS Conduit – ASUU

Published

2 years ago

May 22, 2022

The Academic Staff Union of Universities said the arrest and detention of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, over alleged N80 billion fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has proved the union’s opposition to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System right that the system is a conduit.

According to ASUU, the IPPIS was allegedly being used to render the oppressed Nigerian workers poorer and expose them to more poverty in the midst of the country’s rich resources.

This was contained in a statement titled, ‘ASUU has been vindicated over opposition to IPPIS’, issued on Sunday by the chairman of ASUU at the Federal University, Otuoke, Socrates Ebo.

The statement partly read, “The arrest and detention of the Accountant-General of the Federation has exposed to Nigerians what ASUU has always known. IPPIS has always been a conduit pipe that a heartless government mafia has been using to milk the country dry and oppress the long-suffering, hapless, poverty-damaged Nigerian workers.

“It is sad that Nigerian workers have continued to groan under government oppression in a country that is endowed with plenty and abundance of every gift of nature one can think of.

“It is sad enough that Nigerian lecturers are paid next to nothing. On top of that, the IPPIS mafia in government still steal from that meagre salary in the name of all manner of fraudulent and arbitrary deductions!

“Why is it difficult for Nigeria to produce a single world-class university while lesser endowed countries like Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Namibia and South Africa boast of far better equipped universities?

“We thank the government for finally remembering to pay some lecturers their minimum wage arrears after three good months, but what crime have lecturers committed that the government has maliciously withheld their salary for three good months under the present unpleasant economy?

“So, the government shamelessly wants to punish lecturers for demanding that government should make our universities better?

“So, it is now an offence to urge government to develop and improve education? Why is government bent on starving lecturers to submission? Why is government bent on punishing us with starvation? Is the country not hard enough already?”

The EFCC had on May 16 announced the arrest of Idris over alleged diversion and laundering of N80 billion.

The PUNCH also reported that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, through a letter dated May 18, 2022, suspended Idris “without pay” in order to “allow for proper and unhindered investigation” in line with public service rules, following his arrest.

PUNCH.

Crime

Police Declare Man Wanted Over Homos*xual Act

Published

10 months ago

June 22, 2023

Editor

A 50-years old man, Edo Omusi, has been declared wanted by the police in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, for disappearing after being ‘caught’ in a same s*x act in Ogiso community.

A source close to the police in the state, told our correspondent that the suspect, and one of his male friends, whose name was not given, were sighted at an undisclosed location by some youths as they were comitting the act.

Under Nigerian Laws, any person caught in the gay act is liable to 14 years in prison and if found by the community could be killed.

The duo were said to have been deeply engrossed in the act when they were found but before the person who saw them in the , “sinful and abominable act”, went for back up, they had escaped the location.

The incident which occurred on 25/4/23 at Ogiso area of the town almost threw the community into a turmoil as irate youths welding sticks and cudgels rampaged the community in search of the duo to lynch them.

It was also learnt that worried by the trend the youths in the community had to set up a surveillance team to monitor his movements. It was on one of the surveillance trips that he was reportedly caught on the fateful day, with the unidentified male partner.

It was gathered since the community reported the incident to the police, the whereabouts of the suspect, Edo Omusi has since remained unknown by all and sundry.

Speaking on the development, a top Police official confirmed the matter and explained that the Crime Investigation Department of the command is working round the clock to arrest the suspect, having declared him a wanted person.

Crime

Man, 41, Sent To Prison For Groping Woman’s Breast

Published

1 year ago

April 14, 2023

Editor

A Badagry Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Friday, ordered the remand of a 41-year-old man, Ibrahim Lemo, for groping the breast of a woman.

The court heard that Lemo beat up his victim, Zainab Babalola, when she demanded he stopped the unlawful act

Chief Magistrate Fadahunsi Adefioye remanded Lemo after he pleaded guilty to a two count bordering on assault.

Adefioye ordered that the defendant should be remanded in Awhajigoh Correctional Centre, Badagry.

He adjourned the case until April 14 for facts and sentencing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP. Clément Okuoimose, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on April 6 at 2.30 p.m. at Badagry Roundabout shopping complex, Badagry, Lagos.

Okuoimose said Lemo without lawful excuse pressed the breast of the complainant, Zainab Babalola.

He said the defendant also hit the complainant on her left eye and caused her harm after she asked him not to touch her again.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 134 and 170 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

(NAN)

Crime

Hushpuppi’s Associate, Woodberry, Pleads Guilty, Forfeits $8m, Assets

Published

1 year ago

April 13, 2023

Editor

Olalekan Jacob Ponle, known as Mr Woodberry, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

He also agreed to forfeit $8 million in proceeds of wire fraud as well as luxury cars and watches to the foreign government.

Woodberry, a known associate of the now-imprisoned internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, recently in a plea declaration submitted at the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division on April 6, pleaded guilty to count one of the indictments, the Peoples Gazette reports.

According to his plea agreement, he is required to pay back the sum of $8 million he fraudulently received from the seven companies that he scammed.

“Defendant understands that by pleading guilty, he will subject to forfeiture to the United States all right, title, and interest that he has in any property constituting or derived from proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the offence,” stated the document containing Mr Ponle’s signed plea declaration.

Woodberry was also asked to waive his rights to the luxury cars, and designer watches he had stashed in Dubai.

The high-end automobiles include Rolls Royce Cullinan with vehicle no J9153, Lamborghini Urus (N4973) and Mercedes-Benz G-class (G68816).

Other items seized are four Rolex watches, one Patek Philippe watch, three Audemars Piguet watches, three gold and diamond-studded earrings, and six gold neck chains.

Last year, he forfeited 151.8 Bitcoin to the American government.

On June 10, 2020, Woodberry was arrested in Dubai alongside Ramon Hushpuppi Abbas, who is currently serving an 11-year sentence for a similar fraud charge.

Prior to his arrest, Woodberry was known for rocking and flaunting expensive designer wear and showing off his illicit wealth to his massive Instagram followers, the majority of whom had no idea his luxury lifestyle was funded by cybercrime.