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Oil Thieves Arrsted, 43 Ammunition Recovered In Rivers

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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps said its operatives recovered 43 ammunition during a gun battle with a kidnap syndicate operating at Okuru-Ama, waterside, near Port Harcourt.

The NSCDC Commandant, Rivers State Command, Michael Ogar, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Wednesday.

Ogar said the command’s Anti-vandal squad engaged the suspected kidnappers for about 25 minutes, saying the hoodlums fled on noticing the superior firing power of the operatives.

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“Following a sustained Intelligence on the activities of a kidnap syndicate hideout discovered at an uncompleted building located in Okuru-Ama waterside our men swung into action and engaged the suspects in a duel gun battle for 25 minutes.

“They however escaped through the waterways when they discovered our men almost overpowered them.

“However, we were able to recover the following items at the scene of the occurrence: six AK-47 rifles magazines, three Tavor gun magazines, 43 Tavor K2 Ammunitions, 1 Breech block, charms with animal horns.

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“Also, a wristwatch and an empty bag. Our men will continue to patrol the area as we enjoined the public not to relent in giving the command credible information that would lead to their arrests.

“You can rest assured that the informant’s identity would be jealousy protected”.

In another development the following, the state NSCDC commandant said 24 suspects for their alleged involvement in oil theft.

Ogar said the suspects attempted to vandalize pipelines belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, as well as for conspiracy, advance fee fraud, illegal possession of ammunition, obtaining by false pretence and other criminal offences.

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He added, “The NSCDC Rivers State Command operatives in joint operations with the Military, Nigerian Police and the DSS attached to Abilli Integrated Service Limited arrested about 19 suspects while attempting to vandalize the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Pipelines.

“They were apprehended along a Toyota Sequoia Jeep SR 5 with Registration number Abuja RSH 645 KZ in a conveyance of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 1 hard sawblade, a Toyota Camry with number plate Lagos ET 441 LSR, a Toyota Sequoia V8 with registration number Lagos BDG 590 CX laden with illegally refined AGO, a Honda Accord- Kaduna AH 978 MKK with 100 litres of illegally refined AGO concealed in cellophane bags, a Pump action and 2 Cartridges.

“While on routine patrol along the waterways the Command Anti-vandal Marine Team Impounded a wooden boat laden with unquantified litres of AGO, the suspects actually abandoned it and dived into the water while being chased by our men. Notably.

“Four other suspects were arrested for Sales of Pre-registered SIM Cards by our operatives in conjunction with the Nigerian Communication Commission, one Mr Akpan Daniel was also arrested for advanced free fraud and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N3m which he claimed to have invested in a forex trading on behalf of the Complainant.”

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READ ALSO: Court Strikes Out Fresh Suit Seeking To Sack Rivers APC Guber Candidate

Ogar assured that the corps will continue to fight against crimes and criminalities in the State, saying all the suspects would definitely have their time in court.

He further said the command has intensified the fight against oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities to save the nation’s economy from saboteurs.

He, therefore, solicited the support and cooperation of the public through useful information to activate actionable intelligence that would help forestall criminal acts, “So that the State can be a safe haven for all dwellers.”

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Okuama/Okoloba Impasse: Women Protest In Black Attire, Raise Issues [PHOTOS]

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The protesting women of Okoloba community

Protesters who are majorly women from Okoloba community, Delta State, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, took to the street to protest what they called the return of armed youths of Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.

INFO DAILY reports that Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area and Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, all in Delta State have been at loggerhead over land dispute and others.

The protesting Okoloba women in black attire staged the peaceful protest along the coastal fringe of Koloba community, chanting against violence and bloodbath.

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The placard carrying women, led by the chairlady of Okoloba Community, Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin, and secretary, Mrs Mary Koibi, alleged that the armed youths of Okuama were threatening the peace of the riverine area.

Some of the protesting Women

READ ALSO: Delta Bloodbath: Relief As Army Withdraws Soldiers From Okuama Community

Some inscriptions on the placards read: ‘We say no to violence’; ‘enough of the killings on our land;’ ‘armed Okuama youths returning in a commando style;’ ‘we say no to the return of armed youths of Okuama;’ ‘resettle Okuama people among their Ewu brothers in Ughelli South LGA;’ ‘we mourn the killing of the 17 soldiers,’ among others.’

Reading a letter to newsmen, a copy of each she said was submitted to the police, DSS, NSCDC, JTF as well as the acting chairman of Bomadi Local local Government Council, Mrs Goodwin noted that the latest killing by the youths of Okuama showed that they could kill human beings at the slightest provocation.

The letter which contained an S.O.S. to the Federal Government, further reads: “First, we the women of Okoloba Community sympathize with the killing of 17 soldiers and officers of the Nigerian army on peace and rescue mission to Okuama, following the kidnap of our son. We sincerely mourn their untimely death and pray for the repose of their souls. We also pray for their families.

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The protesting women

“However, less than 24 hours after the exit of the troops from Okuama, a fresh crisis erupted with another neighbouring community, culminating in the killing of one person while three other persons were seriously injured. The person who was killed and those sustaining machete wounds were alleged to have gone there to loot.

READ ALSO: One Killed, 3 Wounded As Communal Crisis Rocks Okuama After Withdrawal Of Soldiers

“The latest killing showed that the people of Okuama can kill a human at the slightest provocation; the sanctity of human life means nothing to them. It also shows that neighbouring Ijaw communities like Okoloba are not safe.

“So, resetting the people of Okuama in their present location, which is in-between communities in Bomadi Local Government Area, is an attempt to encourage further communal clashes and bloodbaths.

“Just last week, youths of Okuama Community came out of the Mein-toruabubor creek, which leads to Ewu, on three speedboats and all of them on camouflage. They shot sporadically in the air before proceeding to OKuama. They moved to and fro the creek three times, and at every time they shot their guns in the air at the entrance of the creek.

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“We are calling on the federal government to come to our aid, and the panacea to these incessant clashes and killings is for the government to relocate Okuama to Ewu clan in Ughelli South Local Government Area, where they truly and rightly belong.

“Resettling them among their own people in Ewu clan of Urhobo land will foster mutual trust among themselves as they are of the same ancestry and speak the same dialect”.

 

 

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JUST IN: Truck Rams Into BRT On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

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A truck has rammed into a Lagos State BRT bus at Ibafo bus-stop along the Lagos Ibadan Expressway.

The PUNCH correspondent who went to the scene gathered that the accident occurred around some minutes to 6am on Saturday.

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps and Police on response call at the accident scene insisted that only their Public Relations Officers were authorised to speak.

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However, unconfirmed reports from onlookers noted that several people on the BRT bus were injured.

Onlookers accounts noted that the BRT was parked loading its passengers at the bus stop before the truck loaded with cows heading to Lagos rammed into it, taking it off the road to destroy shops and kiosks by the roadside.

The cow truck had been towed a little away from the scene so as not to hinder traffic.

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Court Jails Social Media Influencer For Celebrity Scam

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A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, has sentenced Aluko Tunmise to one year in prison for his involvement in a celebrity scam.

Tunmise was prosecuted by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a cybercrime-related charge.

This was disclosed in a post on X by EFCC on Friday, May 17.

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The post reads: “Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, convicted and sentenced one Aluko Tunmise, a self-acclaimed social media influencer and model, to one year imprisonment for celebrity scam.

READ ALSO: Mother Of Five Jailed For Forging Late Abba Kyari’s Signature

He was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one-count charge bordering on cybercrimes.”

“One of the counts reads: “That you, ALUKO TUNMISE JUWONLO (A.K.A. KEANU REEVES), sometime between January and March, 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, directly made a false statement, wherein you held yourself out as a white man by name “KEANU REEVES” on your Telegram Account, knowing same to be false and with intent that the representation is relied upon for the purpose of procuring the issuance of financial instrument to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015′.

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He pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charge when it was read to him.

READ ALSO: Disregard Claim Of Me Bringing Investors To Nigeria – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Following his guilty plea, prosecution counsel, C.C.Okezie, sought to present an operative of the EFCC, Vincent Sunday Kwambuge, to review the facts of the matter.

Kwanbuge told the court that the defendant was arrested sometime in March, 2024 at Lekki County Estate, Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the Commission on the activities of some internet fraudsters operating in the area.”

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