Crime

Ogun: Arsonists allegedly set couple ablaze after returning from 2023 cross over service

Published

1 year ago

January 1, 2023

NewsDirect

.. disappear with son, maid

…FUNAAB Acting VC describes their death as gruesome, shock

Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta

Persons suspected to be arsonists in the early hours of Sunday, January 1, 2023 set a couple, Mr and Mrs Kehinde Fatinoye ablaze shortly after they returned from Cross over service in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

The late Kehinde Fatinoye was said to be a staff of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Abeokuta while his wife, also burnt beyond recognition was a senior staff of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

The sad incident, which occured at the couple’s private residence, located at Government Reservation Area (GRA), Ibara in Abeokuta, had attracted many sympathizers

The suspected arsonists believed to have trailed the couple to their private residence before setting the house ablaze, were also reported to have whisked away the son of the victims.

A source at the residence of the deceased told newsmen that, the suspected arsonists were reported to have kidnapped the son alongside the housemaid, and threw them into a river along Adigbe-Obada axis of the town.

It was reliably gathered that the husband, Kehinde Fatinoye was a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), while the wife, Bukola before her gruesome death was a staff of the Federal University of Agriculture (FUNNAB), Abeokuta

The victims were burnt beyond recognition with their remains later packed by policemen and other health officials at the scene, and drove to the hospital in an ambulance, while hundreds of sympathizers at the house were seen crying over the sad development.

It was also gathered that number of church members of the couple who rushed to the house shortly after the spread of the news, confirmed that they held the crossover service together at a church located in Okejigbo area of Abeokuta.

The sympathizers from the church said they could not believe their ears on hearing the ugly development, saying they suspect that the arsonists might have trailed the couple to their home to carry out the callous crime

A cousin of the late Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) official, Ambrose Somide who confirmed the sad incident, said, he could not explain what might be behind the dastard development

Meanwhile, the Acting Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof.Olusola Babatunde Kehinde has paid a condolence visit to the Ibara GRA, Abeokuta private residence of a Fatinoyes, who were set ablaze by suspected arsonists after returning home from Cross-Over Service in the early hours of today.

Prof. Kehinde described the death of Mrs. Fatinoye, a senior staff of the University, and her husband as gruesome and a rude shock to the University community, which came at a time when the dawn of a new year is being celebrated globally.

The Acting Vice Chancellor who was visibly disturbed and pale described Mrs.Fatinoye as a committed staff, easy going, and friendly.

Prof. Kehinde urged security agencies to as a matter of urgency unravel and bring perpetrators of the dastard act to justice as soon as possible.

He prayed to God to give the relations and the entire members of the University community that the deceased left behind the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Confirming the incident in a telephone conversation with Vanguard, the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi said it was a pure case of assassination.

He said, “when the couple were killed, their remains were equally set ablaze”.

“After the dastard act, the couple’s son and their housemaid were kidnapped and threw them into a river. Though, the housemaid has been rescued alive, but we are yet to see the son”.

While confirming that one person has been arrested in connection with the incident, Oyeyemi assured that those behind the dastard act would be arrested and brought to book.

He added that investigation is in progress on the matter.

Crime

Mother of five jailed for forging late Abba Kyari’s signature

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

NewsDirect

The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja, has sentenced a mother of five, Ramat Mba, to one year imprisonment for her involvement in an employment scam.

Mba also forged the signature of the late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the former President, Muhammadu Buhari.

The presiding judge, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, had last week deferred the sentencing of the convict till Thursday but directed that she should be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission had arraigned Mba in June 2022 on a 5-count bordering on cheating, fraud and forgery, contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Sections 320(b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

n the course of the trial, the commission, through its prosecutor, Hamza Sani, had led Mba in evidence before the court on how the convict committed the offence sometime in 2020 when she collected N4.5 million from several job seekers, promising to secure jobs for them with the ICPC and National Air Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

Also, the documentary evidence tendered showed that the convict fraudulently forged the letterhead of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Buhari and his signature.

The letter, addressed to the ICPC Chairman, was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the commission.

However, the late CoS, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit, distanced himself or his office from authorising the letter.

The spokesperson for the ICPC, Demola Bakare, revealed the development in a statement on Friday.

Bakare revealed, “The trial judge, Justice Muhammad, in his judgment on May 9, 2024, convicted the mother of five children on counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 that border on cheating and forgery, while she was discharged on count 4 which borders on felony.

“Justice Muhammad, during the sentencing on Thursday, pronounced a six-month jail term or N100,000 option of fine on counts 1, 2 and 3 on the convict.

“The presiding judge, who stressed the status of the convict as a first-time offender and a mother, also sentenced her to one-year imprisonment or N150,000 option on fine on count 5 which borders on forgery.”

Crime

15 worshippers die in Kano mosque attack — Police

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

NewsDirect

The Kano State Police Command on Friday confirmed the death of 15 persons in the mosque attack in Gadan village in Gezawa Local Government Area of the state.

A man on Wednesday allegedly sprayed the mosque with petrol, locked its doors, and set it on fire, trapping worshippers.

The state Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, told the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview that so far, 15 out of the 24 victims of the incident died.

Initial reports said one worshipper had died from the attack but the death toll later rose after more victims died while receiving treatment at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano.

Gumel said that the incident occurred during a dawn prayer at a mosque in Gadan village, leaving 24 worshippers injured.

He said the injured victims were currently receiving treatment at the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano.

The suspect, Shafi’u Abubakar, 38 is currently in police custody.

The motive behind the attack was believed to be a family conflict over the sharing of family inheritance.

The commissioner said that the police are continuing with their investigation into the attack.

Crime

Buying pre-registered SIM cards criminal, NCC warns

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

Anita Anyanwu

The Nigerian Communications Commission has warned Nigerians against buying pre-registered SIM cards, citing the illegal nature of the practice, and could attract severe consequences.

In an advisory note sighted on its X platform on Friday, the telecom regulator emphasized that the use of pre-registered SIM cards compromises the accuracy of consumer information.

“Buying pre-registered SIM cards is criminal and may lead to imprisonment, implication in identity theft, financial fraud, kidnapping and armed robbery,” part of the advisory noted.

The NCC explained that using a pre-registered SIM card undermined the reliability of data collected on consumers, making it challenging for authorities to identify and apprehend the actual perpetrators of crimes.

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The warning aims to educate the public on the risks associated with pre-registered SIM cards and encourage compliance with legal guidelines to enhance national security.

The commission urged to follow the proper procedures for registering SIM cards to avoid any legal consequence.

The NCC made the linkage compulsory, directing all telecommunications operators to enforce complete network barring on all phone lines for which subscribers fail to link their SIM cards to their NINs.

There have been two phases of barring SIM cards not linked to NIN by the telcos – the first occurred on February 28 and the second one occurred on March 29.

The regulator, however, has extended the deadline for linking SIM cards to NIN (last phase) to July 31, 2024, from April 15. This extension applies to subscribers with more than four SIMs.