Metro

Police Ask Court To Issue Arrest Warrant Against Andy Uba Over Alleged N400m Job Scam

Published

4 months ago

September 24, 2025

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun has formally asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of ex-senator Andy Uba over a N400 million job scam.

The police intend to arrest Uba and bring him to court for trial.

The IGP sought the arrest order on Wednesday following the persistent absence of Uba, who once represented Anambra South in the Senate, to appear in court for arraignment over the alleged appointment fraud.

The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar had, in July, slated Wednesday for the arraignment of Uba and his co-defendant, Benjamin Etu.

When the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/538/2024 was called on Wednesday, counsel to the defendants, C.L Odiniru apologized for Uba’s absence and said the former senator is sick and receiving treatment in the United States.

Counsel to the prosecution (IGP), Aminu Abdullahi, however told the court that the defense counsel had, during previous proceedings in the matter, given sickness as reason for the absence of the first defendant without adducing any documentary evidence to show that he is actually sick and cannot face his trial.

Abdullahi prayed the court to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the former senator.

Defense counsel, Odiniru, opposed the application for a bench warrant and following a directive of the court, said the defense has obtained documents showing that Uba is receiving treatment abroad.

But responding, Abdullahi said granting the application for bench warrant will be in the best interest of justice.

Justice Umar who was apparently angry over the repeated absence of Andy Uba, said the court will do whatever it takes to ensure that he is present to face his trial if he failed to come to court on the next adjourned date.

“I will give you another opportunity by giving you another date. This case must be heard this year. Even if it means issuing a bench warrant of arrest, the court will do that,” the judge said and adjourned the matter till October 28, 2025 for Uba and his co-defendant to take their plea.

It would be recalled that the prosecution had, on March 5, 2025, amended a two-count charge filed against Uba and his co-defendant, Benjamin Etu, before the former trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo.

The police had earlier named Uba and two others in the first charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/538/2024.

The co-defendants, in the two-count charge filed on October 10, 2024 by Abdulrashid Sidi in the Legal/Prosecution Section at the Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, were Crystal Uba and Benjamin Etu as 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively.

But in the amended charge filed March 4, 2025, by Sidi, Uba and Etu are listed as 1st and 2nd defendants, while Crystal Uba’s name was dropped.

In count one, it was alleged that Uba, Etu and Hajiya Fatima, now at large, sometimes in 2022, conspired amongst themselves to commit the offence.

Uba and others were accused of obtaining by false pretence, by making a presentation to Mr George Uboh that they had perfected ways for giving appointment as Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to any interested person who could afford N400 million.

“A presentation which you know is not true and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related offences Act, 2006,” the charge stated.

The offence, the prosecution said, is contrary to Section 1 (2) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related offences Act, 2006.

Uboh, in a letter dated April 5, 2023, and addressed to the IGP, said the petition was based on documentary evidence and voice recording, adding that the evidence is overwhelming and irrefutable.

No fewer than six witnesses had been listed to testify against the ex-lawmaker and Etu.

The case was re-assigned to Justice Umar, following the suspension of the former judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, by the National Judicial Council, NJC.

Metro

Auto-crash Claims 2 Lives On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Published

2 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, TRACE, on Friday confirmed that two people died in a lone accident around Oremeji Bus Stop on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The Corps’ spokesperson, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abeokuta.

Akinbiyi said the accident, involving a Mazda bus with registration number YNF 414 XN, occurred at about 1:30 a.m.

He explained that the two occupants of the vehicle, the driver and conductor, both adult males, died on the spot, adding that no injury was recorded.

According to him, eyewitnesses said the bus lost control due to speeding, hit a road barrier, and somersaulted.

Akinbiyi further said the vehicle, which was conveying live chicks, had been towed by the Ibafo Motor Traffic Division of the Police for further investigation.

He added that the remains of the victims had been deposited at the Divine Touch Hospital morgue in Ibafo by operatives of TRACE, the police, and the Ogun State Emergency Services (OGSAES).

He noted that traffic was briefly affected during the rescue operation but was later restored through the efforts of TRACE and the police.

Metro

Court Sentences Man To Death For Killing Son

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

The Kano State High Court has sentenced Abubakar Alhaji Sabo to death by hanging after finding him guilty of killing his newborn son.

The Kano State Government prosecuted Sabo before the court on charges of culpable homicide and causing grievous harm.

He was accused of force-feeding the infant with a local insecticide known as ‘fiya-fiya’, resulting in the child’s death.

Sabo killed the baby after the mother, his girlfriend, refused to obey his instruction to kill the child to avoid the shame of fathering a child out of wedlock.

Following the incident, he was also found guilty of striking the girlfriend’s father on the head with a brick after he caught Sabo poisoning the baby.

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Barrister Safiya Yalwati Yahaya, presented three witnesses, while the defendant testified in his own defence.

After reviewing the evidence presented by both parties, Justice Aisha Yau, who presided over the case, found him guilty of infanticide and sentenced him to death by hanging.

The court also imposed an additional three-year prison sentence for causing grievous harm.

Metro

Nine Kwara Victims: Kidnappers Insist On N300m Ransom

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

No progress has been recorded on the bandits demand for N300m ransom for the release of nine victims abducted in Adanla community of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara state on Boxing Day, December 26, 2025.

Coordinator of the Joint Security Watch for Kwara South Senatorial District, Zubair Olaitan, disclosed this on Wednesday.

According to DAILY POST, the bandits have so far made three contacts with the community leaders that “if the N300m is not paid, the victims will not be released.”

The bandits seized the nine victims in an attempt to abduct the King of the community, and his wife on Boxing Day, but failed.

The King, David Olarinoye, was away to Igbaja town for a programme when the armed bandits invaded his community.

The bandits, however, later seized nine other victims in the community and marched them to the bush.

While seven victims were abducted at the palace of the King, two others were captured on their way to the bush.

Following the abduction, the bandits demanded a N300m for the release of the abducted victims, resisting any negotiations for reduction of the ransom.