Metro

Two Sisters Kidnap Brother In Enugu

Published

2 months ago

July 16, 2025

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested two sisters for allegedly masterminding the kidnap of their brother, Mr. Friday Chukwu.

The two sisters, Juliet Chukwu and Ngozi Nancy Chukwu are younger sisters to the victim, Mr Chukwu, who hails from Amaeze village, Ishiagu community, in the Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The PUNCH reports that the two sisters are security agents.

While Juliet Chukwu is an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps; Ngozi Nancy Chukwu is a personnel of Nigeria Immigration Service.

It was gathered that through the duo’s connivance, Mr Friday Chukwu was kidnapped, last month, on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway near the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku-Ozalla, in the Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State.

And through the sisters’ prodding and subtle moves, the sum of N30m was paid for their brother’s release.

It was further learnt that the two female security operatives orchestrated the abduction of the General Manager of China Oriental Mining Company, Engr. Dennis Igwe along the same area, on Monday.

Luck ran out of them when they were traced to a hidden hotel where they were to share the sum of N10million ransom paid for Igwe’s release, and they were arrested.

Commenting on the development on his Facebook Page, on Wednesday, a social media enthusiast, Comrade Chika Nwoba, called on security agencies to take the necessary steps to ensure the matter is not treated with levity.

He said, “News broke in June, 2025 about the kidnap of one Mr. Friday Chukwu along Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway, an elder brother to Mrs. Juliet Chukwu who is a Civil Defence officer and Mrs. Ngozi Nancy Chukwu who is an Immigration Officer all from Amaeze, Ishiagu, Ivo LGA of Ebonyi State and it was alleged that the sum of N30 million was paid as ransom before the release of Mr. Friday Chukwu.

“Weeks later, on Monday 14/7/2025, the CLO of China Oriental Quarry Company, Engr. Igwe Denis Chibueze was kidnapped along the same route with a demand of N10 million.

“The stakeholders rallied the sum with a security link and they were trailed to a hotel room where they were sharing the proceeds of their criminal act.

“They have been previously alleged to have link to many criminal activities happening around Ishiagu in Ebonyi State, ranging from conniving with Fulani herders to stage kidnap along Ishiagu road, looting of railway rails and properties and vandalization of pipeline among other heinous crimes.

“The source through which they escape in many of their crimes is still unknown, but the recent case shouldn’t be treated like other of their crimes and the Nigerian Civil Defence Corp and Immigration Service should meet the case with the punishment it deserves.”

The Chairman of Ivo Local Government Area, Ebony State, Chief Emmanuel Ajah, confirmed the arrest of the two sisters, adding although the two incident took place outside his jurisdiction, he had written to both the Enugu Police Command and the Ebonyi Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps.

He said, “Yes. We are aware of the incidents; but it didn’t happen in my local government area. The incidents took place in Enugu State. The sisters to Mr Friday Chukwu, who is my friend have been arrested. The said they are six, so four people are still on the run. I have written to both the Enugu Police Command and the Ebonyi Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps. However, our efforts are always geared towards making sure our local and the people are safe.”

Efforts to get the Ebonyi State Police Command for comments on the matter proved abortive.

The Police Police Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, didn’t respond to our Correspondent’s inquiries as of the time of filing this report, on Wednesday.

Metro

Abuja Court Jails Ex-legislative Aide For N120m Fraud

Published

6 hours ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi on Monday sentenced a former legislative aide and banker, Mr Goni Yilkan, to eight years in prison for obtaining N120.58 million by false pretence.

Justice F. E. Messiri found Yilkan guilty of a two-count employment scam charge, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission revealed in a statement issued via its X handle on Tuesday.

“Yilkan, who hails from Nguru, Yobe State, was found guilty on a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act, and consequently sentenced to eight years imprisonment without option of fine,” the statement read.

According to EFCC, the convict was arraigned alongside one Mohammed Adamu in October 2023, following investigations into a petitioner’s claims of being defrauded by the convict.

One of the charges read: “That you, Mohammed Goni Yilkan, Mohammed Adamu and others at large between 3rd January 2020 and December 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N120, 580, 550 (One Hundred and Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty Naira) from Mrs. Hindatu Bello under the false pretence that you had the capacity to secure jobs for her candidates in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

In the course of the trial, EFCC said the petitioner explained that “Yilkan deceived her between 2020 and 2021 into believing that he had the capacity to secure employment slots in government agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

“On this strength, the petitioner collected varying sums of money from over 60 jobseekers, amounting to N120,580,550.00 (One Hundred and Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty Naira), which she allegedly remitted to the convict.”

However, the purported employment offers never materialised, prompting Bello to petition the EFCC.

The prosecution, led by Cosmas Ugwu, called six witnesses and tendered documentary evidence, while the defence, led by J.A. Oguche, presented two witnesses, including Yilkan himself.

In his judgment, Justice Messiri held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, convicted Yilkan, but discharged and acquitted his co-defendant, Adamu.

The judge further sentenced Yilkan to eight years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.

Earlier, The PUNCH reported that the EFCC Ilorin Zonal Directorate arrested 28 suspected internet fraudsters in Kwara State.

The suspects, according to a statement on Monday, “were picked up in the early hours of Tuesday during sting operations carried out in Tanke, University Road, Oshin, and Agbabiaka areas of the state capital.”

Metro

Soldiers Who Sold Arms To Terrorists Sentenced To Death

Published

6 hours ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

A special court-martial of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Borno State, has sentenced three soldiers to life imprisonment and another to 15 years for illegal arms deals carried out in connivance with police officers and terrorists.

The trial, presided over by Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander of Sector 1, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), took place at the Officers’ Mess of the Theatre Command Headquarters in Maiduguri.

Delivering judgment, Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, president of the court-martial, pronounced Raphael Ameh, a sergeant; Ejiga Musa, a sergeant; and Patrick Ocheje, a lance corporal, guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

Omitoye Rufus, a corporal, was however handed a 15-year jail term.

The soldiers were convicted of offences ranging from theft and unlawful dealing in ammunition to aiding the enemy, all punishable under the Armed Forces Act.

Ameh, who served as an armourer at the 7 Division Garrison, was found to have conspired with a deceased colleague to steal ammunition from the division’s armoury.

He worked with police officers to conceal weapons in bags of beans and smuggle them to Enugu and Ebonyi for criminals.

Abdullahi revealed that bank records linked Ameh to over 100 suspicious transactions between July 2022 and June 2024.

Musa, while serving as armourer of 195 Battalion, was discovered to have collaborated with Ocheje and police officers in selling an AK-47 rifle and large quantities of ammunition.

Records showed he collected more than ₦500,000 from the transactions before he was arrested while attempting to sell more ammunition.

Rufus was convicted for selling 40 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition to a police officer, while Ocheje, who was deployed at the forward operating base in Molai, was found guilty of diverting ammunition during communal clashes at the instigation of a police officer.

He also stole an AK-47 rifle belonging to a colleague.

The court held that their actions directly endangered military operations and national security, amounting to aiding the enemy.

Condemning the convicts, Abdullahi described them as “bad eggs” who betrayed the trust, discipline, and honour expected of soldiers in the fight against insurgency.

He restated the army’s zero-tolerance stance on the sale of arms or ammunition to adversaries “in whatever form or guise.”

Metro

BREAKING: Bodies Of 8 Missing Policemen Recovered In Benue

Published

1 day ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Lifeless bodies of the eight policemen who were declared missing after a deadly attack on security operatives at Agu Centre, on the border of Katsina-Ala and Ukum LGAs of Benue State, have been recovered.

Dr Justin Shaku, Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA disclosed this to reporters in Makurdi on Monday.

According to him, “this brings the number of officers killed to 11 (10 policemen and one BSCPG)”.

The unfortunate incident occurred on Friday, when a team of security operatives came under the attack of armed invaders.

Three personnel were immediately confirmed dead while eight others were declared missing.