By Saka Laaro, Ilorin

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with a cult clash and culpable homicide in Budo-Oke Eiyenkorin in the Asa local government area of Kwara State.

This was contained in a statement issued by spokesperson of the Command, DSP Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, and made available to journalists in Ilorin Kwara State on Wednesday.

The statement reads in part, “On April 30, 2024, at about 0130 hours, an altercation erupted between two suspected cultists identified as Adams Isah, also known as ‘Number One,’ aged 28, and Rasaq Olorunwa, aged 28. Both are male residents of Budo-Oke in Eiyenkorin. The altercation escalated, resulting in Rasaq Olorunwa stabbing Adams Isah in the chest with a knife.”

Adams Isah was immediately rushed to the general hospital in Ilorin for medical attention. Tragically, he was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital by a medical doctor. The corpse has been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary, awaiting an autopsy.

Following this incident, suspected members of the same cult group of the victim became violent, disturbing the peace of the public in a bid to avenge the death of their leader. The police tactical teams of the command swiftly responded and apprehended three suspects at the scene of the crime. Those arrested are Sulaiman Ismail ‘M,’ Mamud Ibrahim ‘M,’ and Mudashir Saheed ‘M,’ all residents of Budo-Oke, Eiyenkorin. A dane gun was found in their possession at the time of arrest.

The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Ilorin, for further investigation, while a manhunt has been launched to track down Rasaq Olorunwa who is presently at large, and other culprits involved in the crime who may have fled the scene.

The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Police Command, CP Victor Olaiya further declared  that membership in any cult group is a serious criminal offense under the law.

The CP added that normalcy has been restored to the area and stringent efforts are underway to ensure justice is served.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on  Friday,  April 26,2024 re-arraigned  a former Assistant Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service,  Bridget Okafor before Justice Venchak .S. Gaba of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT,  High Court, Kuje, Abuja.

Okafor alongside her Company, Bridkass Investment Integrated Limited,  is facing trial  on  13-amended count charges bordering on abuse of office, misappropriation and contract scam to the tune of 1,966,378,045.85 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Sixty-Six Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Eight Thousand, Forty-Five Naira, Eighty-Five Kobo).

Count seven of the charges reads; “That you, BRIDGET CHIENYEZU OKAFOR whilst being employed in the public service as Assistant Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service in charge of Finance and Revenue, sometime in 2014 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did knowingly acquire private interest in contracts awarded by Nigeria Customs Service to NIKOBI INTERNATIONAL, a business enterprise of your son (CHIKWADO OKAFOR) and for which the Nigeria Custom Service paid the gross sum of N329, 021,640.00 (Three Hundred and Twenty Nine Million, Twenty One Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty Naira only) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000”.

She pleaded not guilty to all the thirteen-count charges when they were read to her.

In view of her plea, prosecution counsel, Attah M. Ocholi requested the court to enter the second defendant’s plea as not guilty too since it’s her company.  He however requested for continuation of the testimony of the sixth prosecution witness, PW6, Agid Mohammed.

Mohammed, a detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,  EFCC said the Commission in January 2016 received an intelligence report about valuable items suspected to be proceeds of crime kept at the residence of a former Comptroller General of Customs, late Abdullahi Dikko Inde.

“After receiving the Intel, a surveillance was carried out, and then we obtained a search warrant. We went to the apartment and conducted a search and found incriminating items, and were duly recovered.

“We wrote to the Customs Service and requested a 7 percent cost of collection and 1 percent comprehensive import supervision scheme of 2014-2015, and how it was disbursed. We received and analysed it, and then we wrote to the Customs and invited the first defendant, that is Mrs. Okafor for an interview. She came and volunteered her statement in writing. She was interviewed in a well-ventilated office with windows and other people were present too.”

Testifying further, Mohammed informed the court that the EFCC received another intelligence in January 2016 about other valuable items suspected to be proceeds of crime kept at the residence of a former Comptroller General of Customs, late Abdullahi Dikko Inde. A search was conducted, and incriminating items were recovered.

“Further investigation revealed a fraudulent diversion of over N40 billion from the Nigerian Customs Service in 2014, allegedly involving the first defendant.

“The first defendant was asked if she wanted to volunteer her statement, and she agreed. I then brought out the EFCC statement sheet, and she volunteered a written statement and signed it, and I counter-signed as a witness,” he said.

Asked what they recovered when they secured a search warrant in the first defendant’s home, Mohammed said they recovered various items, including letter-headed papers of companies linked to Okafor’s children in her bedroom.

“The companies, Ponial Interglobal Investment Nigeria Limited, Nikobi International Limited, Tabes Concept International Limited, Bridkass Investment Integrated  Limited and Guap Properties and Realtors Services Limited, were all linked to the first defendant’s children, and they executed contracts with the Nigerian Customs Service and received payments”, he said.

The witness also disclosed that Okafor was the signatory to various bank accounts and had influence over the award of contracts in the Nigerian Customs Service because she was still in active service when the contracts were awarded.

“My Lord the first defendant was still the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs when the contracts were executed, and she reported to the Deputy Comptroller General, Finance, Administration, and Technical Services, whose office is saddled with the responsibility of awarding contracts in the Nigerian Customs Service.”

After listening to the testimony of Mohammed, Justice Gaba adjourned the matter until June 26, 2024, for cross-examination and continuation of the trial.

Okafor was first arraigned on May 19, 2019 before the same judge in FCT High Court,  Kwali before he was transferred to Kuje FCT High Court.

The Police Command in Niger has arrested three suspects over alleged thuggery and illegal possession of prohibited firearms.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Shawulu Dan-Mamman,  disclosed this in Minna on Wednesday.

Dan-Mamman said that the three suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons and some weeds suspected to be Indian hemp in Maitumbi, Minna.

According to him, the suspects were arrested at about 1:00 a.m. on April 30, during a raid in the Corpers lodge area led by the DPO of Maitumbi Division in collaboration with vigilante members following a distress call.

“When we received the distressed call, our patrol team of Operation Flush with vigilante members, led by the DPO rushed to the area and successfully arrested the suspects.

“The suspects were known for thuggery and the use of dangerous weapons to terrorise the residents of the area,” he said.

The CP further said that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other accomplices at large.

Dan-Mamman, however, advised parents and guardians to keep close  watch on their wards and caution them  against getting involved in crime that would incur the wrath of the law.