Metro

Police Arrest 72 Suspected Criminals In Edo, Others, Rescue 22 Abductees

Published

1 year ago

February 14, 2024

The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday, said its Tactical Squad, in the last two weeks, has arrested a total of 72 crime suspects and rescued 22 persons in its efforts to restore peace and order to affected communities.

The police stated that the combined efforts of its Intelligence Response Squad and Special Tactical Squad, resulted in the arrest of the suspects, 34 of whom were involved in kidnapping.

“Within the last two weeks alone, the NPF Tactical Squads comprising the Intelligence Response Squad and Special Tactical Squad have made significant strides, resulting in the arrest of 72 criminal suspects, including
34 individuals were involved in the kidnapping.

“Additionally, 22 rescues were made, along with several other recoveries, within the last two weeks,” Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed in a statement.

He explained that the police, acting on intelligence of killings and unrest caused by rival secret cults in Edo State, arrested four suspects, and recovered other arms and ammunition.

“Following an ongoing investigation into the daily killings and unrest caused by rival secret cults in Edo State, operatives from FID-IRT arrested Edosa Obasuyi, Abumere Endurance, Monday Otubu, and Esther Abumere in the Ekpoma area of Edo State. The suspects confessed to being members of the Eiye confraternity and admitted to their involvement in the killings and cult activities in the mentioned area.

“A search of their residences led to the recovery of two pump-action guns, numerous voter cards belonging to different individuals, 19 live cartridges, four expended cartridges, one wooden carved gun, illicit drugs, charms, and their cell phones.

“During interrogation, they affirmed that the killings in the state were carried out by the Eiye confraternity as a result of rivalry between Eiyes and Maphites. Efforts are underway to apprehend more fleeing members of the group and bring the area under the law,” he said.

Adejobi also disclosed that on January 27, 2024, operatives of the IRT apprehended one Bello Umar, a 28-year-old Fulani man from Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, suspected of being a kidnapper, along with approximately ten other gang members.

Umar reportedly confessed to their involvement in numerous kidnappings along the Abuja-Kaduna State expressway, with his base located in the Rigina Forest in Kaduna State, and also admitted to receiving ransom amounts ranging from ₦100 million to ₦40 million. Upon his arrest, ₦2.2 million, his share from a recent ransom collection was recovered.

The statement also cited another case, where the Police, upon receiving information that an unknown caller threatened the inhabitants of Kwarra Village under Shiriro LGA of Niger State, launched a detailed investigation which revealed that the caller had threatened to attack the village unless 4 million Naira was paid to him.

Police operatives immediately swung into action and successfully arrested one Lawal Mohammed, aged 22. Upon arrest and consequent investigation, it was revealed that the suspect had once escaped from police custody before his arrest. He further confessed that he had given out the number of his uncle, who happened to be the village head, to the kidnappers to obtain money from the proceeds.

“Also, operatives of the FID-STS intercepted the movement of military accouterments from Kaduna to Zamfara state, precisely Shinkafi LGA. In the process, a spot search was conducted, and the following items were recovered: 10 sets of military camouflage uniforms, 10 pieces of camel pack, 12 military hats, 3 cardigans, 3 t-shirts, 2 belts, and 3 anklets.

“Two suspects – Mushiri Abubakar, aged 28, and Ahmed Mohammed, aged 40 were arrested. Mushiri Abubakar confessed that he is a childhood friend of an Airforce personnel attached to the Airforce base in Kaduna state who served for only five years before being court marshalled and introduced the idea of selling military accoutrements to Mushiri Abubakar. Further investigation revealed that same Mushiri Abubakar had supplied military materials to the Notorious Bello Turji,” the statement further read.

According to the NPF spokesperson, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, underscored the commitment of the police to ensuring the safety and security of all Nigerians, noting that the recent achievements “reflect the dedication of the Force to combating crime and restoring peace to troubled regions even as public safety and security remain top priorities.”
PUNCH

Metro

Two Passengers Arraigned For Stealing Abuja Driver’s Phone, N20,000

Published

1 hour ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

Two passengers were on Friday arraigned before Magistrates’ Court, Karu, Abuja, for allegedly stealing driver’s cell phone and cash of N20,000.

The defendants James Ayuba, 31 and Sophia Suleiman, 34 were arraigned on a three-count charge of joint acts, theft and belonging to gang of thieves.

They however, denied committing the offence.

The prosecutor Olarewaju Osho had told the court that the complainant, Mr Joseph Gbenda of Kubwa, Abuja reported the matter at the Karu Police Station on June 18.

Osho alleged that on June 17, the complainant carried the defendants in his car from Area 1, Garki, Abuja to Nyanya, Abuja, where they alighted.

However, upon dropping the defendants, he discovered that they had jointly conspired and stole his Infinix Smart 3 cell phone and cash of N20,000.

“The complainant reported the matter at Karu police station, and they later traced the defendants to their hideouts behind Karu cemetery and recovered the stolen phone without the cash of N20,000,” he said.

The prosecutor stated that upon investigation, it was further discovered that the defendants belonged to a gang of thieves specialised in committing crimes.

Osho equally informed the court that the defendants had just been released three days ago on administrative bail by a magistrate court, for committing similar offence.

The prosecutor claimed that the offence contravened sections 79, 288 and 306 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same law.

After listening to the charge, Senior Magistrate, Ngozi Okonkwo adjourned the matter until June 24.

Metro

Alleged Fraud: I Was Deceived Into Investing $10,000 – Warri Fish Farmer Tells Court

Published

1 hour ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

A Warri-based fish farmer, Mr Edafe Imirike, on Friday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he was deceived into investing the sum of 10,788 dollars and 64 cents in Afriq Arbitrage System (AAS) Ltd, a cryptocurrency platform.

The company is charged with advance fee fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Imirike, the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1), told Justice Obiora Egwuatu while being led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s legal team led by Geraldine Ofulue with Martha Babatunde.

The witness, who identified Mr Jesam Michael, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AAS Limited, in court, said Michael assured him of the safety of his money before investing.

“In 2022, October to be precise, my sister, who resides in Canada, told me about Afriq Arbitrage System (AAS) Limited, and I joined the telegraph platform which was owned by the defendant.

“He told me what to expect.

“He showed me a CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission) document and EFCC certificate to show that the platform was legit.

“I invested the sum of 10,778 U.S. dollars and 64 cents from my fish farming,” he said.

He said he also invited two of his uncles onto the platform.

During cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Uchenna Njoku, SAN, the witness admitted that he invested his money because he was convinced that the investment was genuine.

“You will not have invested if you believe it was a crime?” the lawyer asked.

“I invested based on the CAC and the EFCC certificates and that the platform was genuine.

“That our capital will be secured. I never knew he had the spare key to take the money whenever he wished,” he responded.

When asked if his uncles and sister were still alive, the witness responded in the affirmative.

“Did any one of them give you a letter of authority to represent them?” Njoku asked.

“I manage the account. I can’t remember if they gave me a letter,” he responded.

When asked if he had received returns on his investment, he responded in the affirmative.

“Just as you receive returns on the investment in your name, so your uncle and others did,” the lawyer asked, and Imirike said, “We received.”

The witness said he indicated in his extrajudicial statement the returns on his investment.

“I withdrew a total of 137 dollars,” he said.

He agreed that he withdrew his first petition against the company at the police station, but based on the assurance that he would get his invested money back.

When the lawyer put it to the witness that he wrote at the police station that he invested the sum of 10,788 U.S. dollars and 74 cents, Imirike said it was incorrect.

When Njoku also confronted Imirike with a question that he collected the returns of 11,910.00 U.S. dollars, the witness said it was not correct.

“It was because you realised you had withdrawn more than you invested that you decided to settle with the defendant?” the lawyer asked.

“Not correct,” the witness said.

“In full and final settlement of all your interests, the defendant undertook to give you the total sum of N1 million and a 2016 Toyota Corolla, and he did,” the lawyer said.

“Not correct,” the witness responded.

Imirike, however, said that the N1 million and the car given to him were not for settlement but for compensation.

He said he had sold the car.

“I suggest to you that the only reason you filed your petition on May 8, 2025, was because you heard the defendant had been arraigned in court and you felt you could get a second bite,” the lawyer said, but the witness said it was not correct.

Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter until June 27 and July 4 for the continuation of the trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Egwuatu had, on June 10, ordered the remand of Mr Michael in Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged investment fraud.

The judge, in a ruling in Michael’s bail application shortly after he was arraigned by the EFCC, refused his bail plea on the grounds of the gravity of the offence and the weight of evidence against him.

Justice Egwuatu agreed with the argument of the EFCC’s lawyer, Babatunde, that despite the instant charge, more petitions were still being received by the commission and other security agencies from victims of the Ponzi scheme of the defendant.

The judge observed that the anti-graft agency, in its argument, also submitted that its further investigation had revealed that there were over 50,000 investors in Michael’s failed investment scheme.

He also held that the victims were aggrieved and it would be in his own safety to remain in government custody pending the conclusion of the trial.

The judge, however, ordered an accelerated hearing of the trial.

NAN reports that the EFCC had, in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/134/2025, dragged Michael and his company, a cryptocurrency trading platform, to court as 1st and 2nd defendants.

The commission, in the seven-count charge bordering on money laundering and advance fee fraud, among others, accused Michael of investment fraud involving 844,416.36 U.S. dollars, N590 million and another 10,000 U.S. dollars.

The EFCC alleged that Michael and his company, between September 2022 and June 2023 in Abuja, while not being a bank or an authorised entity to take deposits, invited the public through advertisements to deposit funds with Afriq Arbitrage System Limited.

This, according to the commission, is in contravention of Section 44(1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020, and is punishable under the same Act.

NAN observes that at Friday’s sitting, a crowd of victims stormed the court to observe proceedings.
(NAN)

Metro

Troops Engage Terrorists In Fierce Gun Battle To Repel Gwoza Invasion

Published

2 hours ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai are currently engaged in a fierce gun battle with armed terrorists suspected to be Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

Gwoza, located about 136 kilometers from Maiduguri, shares borders with the Mandara Mountains in Cameroon and the Sambisa Forest — notorious hideouts for insurgents.

According to sources, the attackers launched an attempted invasion of Gwoza town shortly after Friday Jummat prayers. Residents reported heavy gunfire and multiple explosions in parts of the town as troops mounted a strong and tactical resistance to repel the assault.

Security operatives are said to be working relentlessly to safeguard lives and property in the area, with reinforcements reportedly deployed to support ongoing operations.