The Nigerian Army has cracked down on illegal refineries in Obuaku Community, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, arresting thirteen suspects and dismantling the illegal facilities.

This operation comes on the heels of a similar raid just four days prior, where six suspected oil bunkerers were apprehended and 14 boats, some carrying crude oil, were seized at the nearby Isimini Waterside.

The General Officer Commanding, GOC, 82 Division Enugu, Major Gen. Hassan Dada, vowed never to allow oil bunkerers and economic saboteurs any breeding ground in any state within the Division.

Speaking to journalists right inside the creek on Monday evening, the GOC said about 1.5 million barrels of crude oil had been syphoned by oil bunkerers, stressing that additional two boats were recovered from them during the latest raid.

The GOC who lamented both the economic and environmental impacts of the activities of oil bunkerers said the Army under Operation UDOKA, would not rest on its oars until all bunkerers and other economic saboteurs were flushed out of the area.

“Illegal refineries cannot be allowed so that our economy will improve,” he said.

According to him, the suspects would be handed over to the appropriate agencies for prosecution, adding that those found culpable would be made to bear the consequences of their actions.

Meanwhile, one of the female suspects, told journalists during an interview, that she was selling polythene to people at the camp, and came to recover her debt when she was arrested.

Meanwhile, the suspect who was sobbing profusely, denied any involvement in the illegality.

The intelligence department of the security force in Nigeria has declared serious war on Bisexuals in the country warning them to desist from the act or face serious sanctions and prosecution.

The PRO of the intelligence department in a statement issued to the press emphasised the institution’s position and commitment at sanitising the entire country by getting rid of all groups, clubs, and persons found to be involved in or perpetuating any form of homosexuality and its varieties in the country.

He further stated categorically that the anti-LGBT law is still very much active.

He said the release of the statement became necessary in view of the recent cases of bisexual, dating and lesbianism and gay being currently treated by various security institutions in the country and which is not receiving enough media attention for the public to see.

He recalled the story reported by a major news medium online of a teenager, a boy, Stephen who was caught in erotic acts with a neighbour of his named Cosmas. In a swift move to save both families from further public disgrace and agony, Cosmas had to be  flown abroad  and  Stephen was jettisoned by his forlorn mother and family and had to fend for himself in the slums somewhere in Lagos.

The institution in the release also referenced a case of one Mr  Omitogun Segun Ayodele  who is said to still be at large more than a year down the line after being caught in erotic adventures with his  long time friend and Schoolmate.

Mr Omitogun Segun Ayodele  was said to be the owner of a popular relaxation centre in the Lagos  metropolis when the ugly incident happened on the 29th of January 2023.

The case, according to the release, was said to have been reported by the community association where Mr. Omitogun Segun Ayodele had lived peacefully with his wife  and family.

Angry youths,  as a testament to the pious virtues of the Yorubas — the tribe of mr. Omitogun Segun Ayodele — and in stiff opposition to the barbaric and shameful acts was said to have vandalised  Mr. Omitogun Segun Ayodele’s  apartment at No. 5, Anuoluwapo street, new Oko Oba Abule Egba Lagos State .

In conclusion, the institution advised the general public to feel free to approach any or all the security outfits in the country to report any case of homosexuality and bisexual in and within their neighbourhood with enough good and genuine evidences to prove their case(s) in the court of law beyond reasonable doubts.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Tuesday, opened its case at the Federal High Court Abuja in the money-laundering suit brought against the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano.

The anti-graft agency presented a total of two witnesses in today’s trial.

A bank manager, Mr Tochukwu Nnadi, who entered the witness box as the first prosecution witness, PW-1, told the court that sometime in April 2022, the EFCC invited him and told him it was in respect of an ongoing investigation.

He was the manager of the branch and handled most of the financial activities of the past state government.

Nnadi told the court that he was a bank manager at Awka, the capital of Anambra State, where he managed customers’ accounts and interfaced with various security and anti-graft agencies in terms of inquiry on a customer’s account.

He also disclosed that he knows the defendant, the immediate past governor of Anambra State.

He explained that the state government maintains various accounts with the bank he works for, and one such account was for security votes.

He claimed the security vote account was just like every other account that they managed for the state government, and there was really nothing special about it.

He said, “The account was mostly funded by the office of the Accountant General of the state and bulk of the funds came from Internally Generated Revenue, of the state”.

He added that payments into the account were made on a weekly basis, and all transactions out of the account were always based on the advice of the account operators.

“The payments we made out of the account were to various entities and corporate organisations,” he said.

He claimed documents containing the names of all the beneficiaries had already been submitted to the EFCC.

However, he refused to mention the names of the beneficiaries in the open court, when he was asked to by prosecution counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, SAN.

He said it would amount to a breach of his oath of secrecy.

He said the accounts were funded every week and cash withdrawals, Manager’s cheques, transfers and drafts were instruments that were used to remove the funds, based on instructions from the operators of the accounts.

He added that “Some of the documents he submitted to the EFCC included the certified true copy of the statements of account, cover letter for the statements of account, packages used to open the account, as well as certificates of identification for each of the accounts.

The court admitted in evidence 794 pages of documents from the bank, which was tendered as Exhibit PW-1 (A1- A 794).

Also, another set of documents dated June 1, 2023, showing the debits that were made from the accounts, were also admitted in evidence.

After Nnadi, EFCC presented another witness, PW-2, an Onitsha-based businesswoman, Mrs Chinwe Egbunam, who informed the court that she is a trader specialising in Turkish wear.

She told the court that on May 20, she received a call that she was needed at the EFCC office over some money that had passed through the account of her company, C.I. Party Ventures Nigeria Limited.

She explained that when she arrived at the anti-graft agency office, she told them that she didn’t know anything about the money.