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Police Nab Canadian, Nigerian Over N452m, $210,000 Fraud

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The Nigeria Police Force has arrested two high-profile suspects for their alleged roles in a series of cyber and financial crimes, including a $210,000 investment scam and a N452 million charity fraud scheme.

In a statement released by Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Monday, the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Abuja confirmed the arrests of Robert Harms, a Canadian national, and Ms. Okeke Njaka, a Nigerian, in separate operations coordinated by INTERPOL operatives.

Robert Harms was arrested over a fraudulent investment scheme targeting Tepison Enterprises, a company based in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

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Acting on a petition filed by the firm, police investigations revealed that Harms was introduced to the company through a Polaris Bank account officer in June 2023.

READ ALSO: Canada-based Nigerian Arrested Over $610,382 Romance Scam

He allegedly convinced Tepison Enterprises to invest $210,000 in a fake Waste-to-Energy Project in Canada by promising a $30,000 return within four weeks.

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Under this pretence, Tepison Enterprises transferred $210,000 to secure a fabricated ‘capital project bond,” the police said.

Further investigation showed that Harms had forged a “Project Bridge Loan Agreement” and transferred the funds through a Bureau de Change in Abuja to an account in Dubai.

He also falsely claimed affiliation with VDQ-NRG Systems Limited, a claim denied by the company’s CEO.

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“Further inquiries confirmed that Harms had no legitimate affiliation with VDQ-NRG Systems Limited,” the statement said.

READ ALSO: Canada Votes For New Government To Take On Trump

Harms was arrested at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on February 7, 2025, while attempting to flee to Canada.

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He reportedly admitted to receiving the money and violating the investment agreement.

He was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Uyo, on May 9, 2025, after criminal charges were filed on April 22. The court ordered that he be remanded in Uyo Custodial Centre, with the case adjourned to May 20, 2025.

In another operation, INTERPOL re-arrested Ms. Okeke Njaka, who is wanted for cybercrimes and large-scale financial fraud.

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READ ALSO: Canada I Moved To In 2013 Isn’t Quite The Same Today – Nigerian Man Bids Goodbye

Njaka was first arrested in Anambra on January 4, 2025, over allegations including cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and obtaining money under false pretences. She later jumped bail and went into hiding.

Investigations revealed Njaka’s active involvement in cyberstalking and cyberbullying through multiple social media platforms, where she maliciously distributed nude photos and videos of her victims,” the police said.

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Njaka was declared wanted in 2021 via a Special Police Gazette Bulletin and was re-arrested on May 8, 2025, in Abuja.

She is scheduled to be arraigned before the Federal High Court on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

READ ALSO: Canada Denies 13,000 Nigerians Asylum

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Njaka’s non-governmental organisation, Ogechi Helping Hands Foundation, is also under prosecution for its alleged role in defrauding the public of N452,821,982 in a fake medical assistance scheme.

The foundation, alongside its associates, Emeka Ezeogbo and Tolotolo Family Foundation, is facing prosecution at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Reaffirming the commitment of the police to fight cyber and financial crime, Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, urged Nigerians to be cautious in international business dealings.

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“The Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP kayode Egbetokun Ph.D, NPM once again emphasises its unyielding resolve to combatting all forms of transnational financial crimes and urges members of the public to exercise utmost caution and due diligence before entering into high-value international agreements and to promptly report any suspicious activity to law enforcement agencies,” the statement read.

The police encouraged the public to conduct due diligence before entering into major transactions and to report any suspicious activities promptly.

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US Opposes Palestinian State Recognition, Says It’s Reward For Hamas

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United States President Donald Trump and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, met on Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where they discussed differing views on the future of Gaza and Palestinian statehood.

CNN reports that Trump rejected the two-state solution to the crisis in Gaza, saying the idea portrays “reward” for Hamas.

France recently joined the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal to officially recognise the Palestinian state.

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Trump opened the Tuesday bilateral meeting by praising Macron’s diplomatic efforts, claiming the French leader had helped him prevent global conflicts.

“Emmanuel has actually helped me with a couple of the wars,” Trump said, in response to Macron’s recent remark that if the US president wants a Nobel Peace Prize, he should “put an end to the war in Gaza.”

READ ALSO Fresh World Trouble Looms As Netanyahu Tells Western Leaders ‘There Will Be No Palestinian State’

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When asked about Palestinian statehood, and his latest remarks, it would be a “gift to Hamas,” Trump again pushed back strongly.

Well, I think it honors Hamas, and you can’t do that because of October 7. You can’t do that. But we want our hostages back,” Trump said.

You always have to remember, people forget October 7 was one of the most savage days in the history of the world,” the US president said.

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In response, Macron, seated beside Trump, emphasised that recognising a Palestinian state does not mean ignoring Hamas’ October 2023 attacks on Israel.

The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and Israel, fought since October 7, 2023, when the Hamas militant group attacked Israel, which has since launched offensive in the Gaza Strip in retaliation.

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Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Is Dead

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The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdulaziz, has died at the age of 82.

According to a statement from the Royal Court, the revered cleric passed away on Tuesday morning.

Born in Mecca in November 1943, Sheikh Abdulaziz rose to become one of the most influential religious authorities in the Kingdom.

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He served as head of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, as well as the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League.

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He was the third cleric to occupy the office of Grand Mufti after Sheikh Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Shaikh and Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz.

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In its tribute, the Royal Court said King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had extended condolences to the Sheikh’s family, the people of Saudi Arabia, and the wider Muslim world.

“With his passing, the Kingdom and the Islamic world have lost a distinguished scholar who made significant contributions to the service of science, Islam, and Muslims,” the statement read.

READ ALSO:Brazilian Jazz Legend, Hermeto Pascoal, Is Dead

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A funeral prayer is scheduled to be held at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh after the Asr prayer on Tuesday.

King Salman has also directed that funeral prayers be observed simultaneously at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and in all mosques across the Kingdom.

The Grand Mufti is regarded as Saudi Arabia’s most senior and authoritative religious figure. Appointed by the King, the officeholder also chairs the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Issuing Fatwas.

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Antitrust Trial: US Asks Court To Break Up Google’s Ad Business

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Google faces a fresh federal court test on Monday as US government lawyers ask a judge to order the breakup of the search engine giant’s ad technology business.

The lawsuit is Google’s second such test this year, following a similar government demand to split up its empire that was shot down by a judge earlier this month.

Monday’s case focuses specifically on Google’s ad tech “stack” — the tools that website publishers use to sell ads and that advertisers use to buy them.

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In a landmark decision earlier this year, Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that Google maintained an illegal grip on this market.

READ ALSO:Google Fined $36m In Australia Over Anticompetitive Search Deals

Monday’s trial is set to determine what penalties and changes Google must implement to undo its monopoly.

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According to filings, the US government will argue that Google should spin off its ad publisher and exchange operations. The DOJ will also ask that after the divestitures are complete, Google be banned from operating an ad exchange for 10 years.

Google will argue that the divestiture demands go far beyond the court’s findings, are technically unfeasible, and would be harmful to the market and smaller businesses.

We’ve said from the start that DOJ’s case misunderstands how digital advertising works and ignores how the landscape has dramatically evolved, with increasing competition and new entrants,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.

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READ ALSO:Google Introduces Initiative To Equip 1,000 Nigerian Developers

In a similar case in Europe, the European Commission, the EU’s antitrust enforcer, earlier this month fined Google 2.95 billion euros ($3.47 billion) over its control of the ad tech market.

Brussels ordered behavioral changes, drawing criticism that it was going easy on Google as it had previously indicated that a divestiture may be necessary.

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This remedy phase of the US trial follows a first trial that found Google operated an illegal monopoly. It is expected to last about a week, with the court set to meet again for closing arguments a few weeks later.

The trial begins in the same month that a separate judge rejected a government demand that Google divest its Chrome browser, in an opinion that was largely seen as a victory for the tech giant.

That was part of a different case, also brought by the US Department of Justice, in which the tech giant was found responsible for operating an illegal monopoly, this time in the online search space.

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READ ALSO:Iran Hackers Target Harris And Trump Campaigns – Google

Instead of a major breakup of its business, Google was required to share data with rivals as part of its remedies.

The US government had pushed for Chrome’s divestment, arguing the browser serves as a crucial gateway to the internet that brings in a third of all Google web searches.

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Shares in Google-parent Alphabet have skyrocketed by more than 20 percent since that decision.

Judge Brinkema has said in pre-trial hearings that she will closely examine the outcome of the search trial when assessing her path forward in her own case.

These cases are part of a broader bipartisan government campaign against the world’s largest technology companies. The US currently has five pending antitrust cases against such companies.

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AFP

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