Crime
Friends mourn as robbers kill winner of IBM competition in Lagos
A 22-year-old Computer Systems Engineer, David Ntekim-Rex, has been killed by armed robbers in the Jibowu area of Lagos State.
Ntekim-Rex, according to a 2018 statement by IBM, had beaten 17,000 others from around the world, including finalists from Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Nepal, and the United States to emerge as the co-regional winner of the annual Master the Mainframe competition, organised by AngelHack and IBM Z Academic Initiative.
The deceased, who was described as a tech guru by friends, bagged several certificates and accomplishments before graduating from the Department of Systems Engineering at the University of Lagos in 2019.
He was working as a Product Designer at a Financial Technology firm, Crevatal, before his demise, according to his LinkedIn profile.
The deceased, who was the son of Dr. Yewande Ntekim-Rex, a senior lecturer at the English Department at the University of Lagos, was said to have been gunned down around 8 pm on Friday.
A relative of the deceased, who tweeted with the handle, @Magnanimous_, said the police failed to help Ntekim-Rex when he was shot.
He alleged that the police continued to cause unnecessary delays as life slowly left Ntekim-Rex.
He tweeted, “My ‘auntie’ has three sons. She’s always crazy about them. The middle child, David, is the most promising. He is a tech guy; very young, very brilliant. David was on his way home on Friday night when he was robbed, shot and killed around Jibowu. Please say a prayer for my aunt.
“David got shot around 8 pm. The police were called, David hadn’t died yet. The Nigerian police took pictures instead and were more concerned with why he, a tech guy, was carrying a laptop. Nigeria failed you, David.
“David was taken to the military hospital around the area. It took a senior nurse to come out and start checking for a pulse. He had lost a lot of blood at this point.
“The police then took David and his family to Sabo (police station), where they looked for the laptop that he had on him instead of giving them a police report. He was finally released to his family, and they got to LUTH around 12.30 am.
“He was there till the family was convinced he couldn’t be alive because he had no pulse. The country failed David. The doctors failed David. The police failed David. The system failed David. Rest in peace David Ntekim-Rex.”
A friend, Oluwatifunmi Omotimomake, said on Twitter that the death of Ntekim-Rex was a huge loss.
“It breaks my heart to see your life cut short by the actions of robbers and a failed government system. May your soul continue to rest in peace. Heaven has heard your cry. Justice will come.”
Friends revealed that days before he was killed, Ntekim-Rex had created an app for monitoring the success of New Year resolutions.
A friend, @koderholic, said on Twitter that she communicated with the deceased on the day he was murdered.
“Who would have known that would be the last time we would converse? David Ntekim-Rex, may we meet again. Say hi to Jesus.”
Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Nketim-Rex was dead before the police were notified.
Adejobi added that the Divisional Police Officer and the Area Commander both intervened but there was nothing that could have been done to save the deceased.
He said, “On January 15, 2021, we were informed around 11.20 pm. On getting to the scene, policemen met his lifeless body but relations insisted that he was not dead. So, police took him to Military Hospital, Yaba but the hospital said they could not treat him and then referred him to LUTH.
“He was accepted at LUTH and he was confirmed dead. The family returned to the police to get extracts at the station for mortuary. So, the allegation of the police abandoning him is not true. The incident is unfortunate and we sympathise with the family but we did what we could.”
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered final forfeiture of at least 20 property linked to the convicted former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a judgment, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that the property, located in deferent parts of the country, were acquired illegally.
According to Justice Abdulmalik, the applicant effectively discharged its responsibility, under the law, to establish that the property were acquired with proceeds of crime.
The judge also held that the “various individuals, who responded to an earlier interim forfeiture order, requiring interested parties to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited, failed to establish their ownership of the affected properties with credible evidence.”
Out of the 23 property listed in the schedule, three of them were left out, which include Flat 42C, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Kaduna; Plot 18, Road F, on TPO 462B C of O Kd5469 and Plot of C of O Bo/426 Beacon B5086, B5087, B5105, B5104, B5099 Cadastral Zone B05 Utako.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Maina’s wife, Laila, who claimed to be a citizen of the United States, and some of his relatives and associates, including Uwani Usman, Alhaji Aminu Yakubu Wambai, Haruna Mu’azu Musa and Aliyu Abdullahi, had claimed ownership of the 23 property.
The anti-graft agency had earlier obtained an order of interim forfeiture of 23 property linked to Maina, currently on eight-year jail term for pension fraud to the tune of N2 billion.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Abdulmalik agreed with lawyer to the EFCC, Farouk Abdullah, that those who claimed to owned the property failed to effectively establish the alleged ownership by producing credible evidence.
She said: “It is trite in law that civil cases in non-conviction forfeiture are hinged on the preponderance of evidence.
“Again, I hold that the respondents have failed woefully in tilting the scale of evidential weight in their favour.
“In all, sequel to the facts and documentary detailed evidence relied on by the applicant (the EFCC) in support of this application for final forfeiture, I do hold that the evidential burden of proof indeed shifted to the claimants to establish by way of cogent documentary evidence, the sequential trail of the genesis of their finances leading to the buildup as well as the the acquisition of the aforementioned properties subject of interim forfeiture.
“In view of this grave omission on the part of the claimants (Maina, his wife and his associates) to show good and credible cause on the history of their legitimate earnings, I hereby find merit in applicant’s application for final forfeiture of properties Nos: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23 set out in schedule one, attached to the order of interim forfeiture, save properties No: 3, 14 and 20. I so order.”
The affected properties are located in Abuja, Nasarawa, State Kaduna State and Kano State.
They include “Plot No: 965 Gwarimpa 1 District, Cadastral Zone: CO2, covered by C of O No: 1afew-fe28z-63a5r-e36eu-10.
“Duplex located at No: 16 A Katuru Road, Kaduna.
“52B, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Lot 016, comprising of 3 bedroom semi-detached bungalow.
“Property at Tola Street, Badarawa, Kaduna, comprising of three bedrooms and an undeveloped land.
“Plot Y12, Kano Street, Kawo New Extension, Kaduna.
“A duplex located at No: 21, 52 Crescent , Kubwa Phase 1V estate
“House 8, 211 Road, a close numbered FHA/EST/264/TA/032.l, 3 bedrooms bungalow.
*Farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.
“Another farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.
“Plot 3A, Sambo Road, Unguwan Rimi, covered by C of O No: KD15452.
“Plot MF-27A, New Pasafi Layout, Kuje, Abuja.
“Plot 1B Ajayi Road, Unguwan Rimi, covered by C of O numbered: NC24059
“Block 23 Flat 2 located at Life Camp (2 bedroom semi-detached.
“Property at No: 62 A/C Maternity ward , Damaturu Road, Biu
“Plot 3A, Sambo Road, Unguwan Rimi covered by C of O No: KD15452 comprising of uncomplicated buildings.
“Plot covered by C of O B426 beacon: B5086; B5087; B5105; B5104; B5099 at Cadastral Zone B05, Utako.
“No: 16 Dabai Road, off Mangoro Road, Sokoto State.
“No. 13 Korau Road, Nasarawa District, Kano.
“Plot 965 Cadastral Zone C02, Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja.”
By Adeyanju Esther
The Nigeria Police Force, through its NPF National Cybercrime Centre, has apprehended Ubani Zion Chibuike, also known as ZFancy, at an apartment in Wuye, Abuja.
The arrest comes in response to viral videos circulating on social media, alleging ZFancy’s involvement in serious crimes, including rape, causing widespread concern among the public.
ZFancy later claimed that the videos were staged and intended to attract attention following a hiatus. Despite his explanation, such actions carry significant consequences and cannot be disregarded lightly.
The Nigeria Police Force has emphasised its commitment to public safety and accountability, ensuring individuals are held responsible for actions that provoke fear or disrupt public tranquillity.
The Police has issued a stern warning to pranksters and content creators, urging compliance with the law and caution in producing content that could threaten public safety or compromise national security.
As legal proceedings progress, the public is urged to remain composed, assured that appropriate measures are being taken in this case.
By Adeyanju Esther
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has apprehended several suspected kidnappers in the Gwagwa and Dei-Dei areas of the territory.
The arrests were made by operatives from the Utako division acting on credible intelligence between June 30 and July 3, 2024.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer on Thursday, SP Josephine Adeh, the suspects were identified as Umar Abdullahi, also known as Auta, Likita Abubakar, Salisu Sani, Sabiu Mohammed, and Aliyu Suleiman.
They were apprehended in connection with a kidnapping incident that occurred in Gwagwa on June 12, 2024, during which two residents were killed and a ransom of 12 million naira was collected from the victim’s family.
The suspects are also allegedly involved in several other kidnappings and criminal activities within the Capital Territory.
Upon their arrest, law enforcement recovered four AK-47 rifles, a Dane gun, two magazines, and eight unexpended live ammunition from the suspects. All suspects have reportedly confessed to their involvement in the crimes.
While investigations continue, the Commissioner of Police, FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh, psc, mni, has reiterated the command’s commitment to ensuring the security and safety of residents.
The recovery of weapons and the apprehension of the suspects mark a significant step in the ongoing efforts to combat crime and maintain law and order in the FCT.
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