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.

23 individuals have been sentenced to various jail terms for offences bordering on Internet fraud.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the statement, the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC secured the conviction and sentence of twenty-three (23) internet fraudsters to various jail terms before Justices K.B. Olawoyin, Ladiran Akintola, O.A. Adetujoye and O.A. Lajide of the Oyo State High Court  Ibadan; Justice Mashkur Salisu of the Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo and Justice E.U. Akpan of the Federal High Court, Ibadan.

The convicts are Awopetu Damilola Tope, Ayanwola Omotayo Olaoluwa, Azeez Ibrahim Olamide, Adeyinka Wande Ajayi, Dada Segun David, Toyyib Olawale Abiola, Oyewo Ayomide Solomon, Opeloyeru Ishaq Abayomi, Victor Okotie, Najeem Mujeeb Olalekan, Areagbo Taiwo Oladimeji and Owolabi Sodiq Imoleayo,

Others are Gilbert Izuchukwu Ebuenyi, Anthony Lucky Daniel, Gbadegesin Nurudeen Opeyemi, Oladokun Quadri Akolade, Oluwamuyiwa Emmanuel Adeleye, Andrew Olasunkanmi Omotehinse, Bamidele Olusoji Joseph, Babatunde Ayomide Yinus, Ayinde Lanre Gbolahan, Ayanwola Tobi Gbenga and Ajibade Samuel Oluwafemi.

They were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, possession of fraudulent documents, personation and aiding in committing an offence upon arraignment by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC between March 20 and April 24, 2024.

The charge against Andrew Olasunkanmi reads: “That you, Andrew Olasunkanmi ‘M’ on or about 14th June, 2023, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated by representing yourself to be a white woman by the name Jesse from United States of America, through hook-up site (www.liscrawler.com) to one Joel, with intent to obtain benefits for yourself and gained advantage of the total sum of $1,500 (One Thousand, Five Hundred United States of America Dollars), a pretext which you knew to be false, thereby committed the offence of Personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them in court, as prosecution counsel, A.M. Aliyu, Lanre Suleiman, Mabas Mabur, Umar Abiso, Shamsuddeen Bashir, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, David Olubode, Fatima Baba and Favour Adewunmi prayed the court to convict and sentence  them accordingly.

Justice Olawoyin convicted and sentenced Daniel to three years imprisonment or a fine of N1, 000, 000.00 (One Million Naira), Olasunkanmi to one year jail term or a fine of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira), Opeyemi to six months imprisonment or a fine of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) while Tope, Olaoluwa, Olamide, and Ajayi bagged six months community service each or a fine of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) each.

Furthermore, Justice Akpan convicted and sentenced Akolade to one and a half years imprisonment without an option and fine and ordered him to pay the sum of N550, 000.00 (Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) as restitution, while Justice Salisu convicted and sentenced Adeleye to one year jail term or a fine of N500, 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira).

Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced David, Abiola, Solomon and Abayomi to one year imprisonment each or a fine of N50, 000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira) each, and Joseph to three months community service or a fine of N30, 000.00 (Thirty Thousand Naira).

Also, Justice Lajide convicted and sentenced Ebuenyi to six months community service but was given an option of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.

Also,  Justice Adetujoye convicted and remanded Okotie, Olalekan, Oladimeji, Imoleayo, Yinus, Gbolahan, Gbenga and Oluwafemi in the Correctional Centre for two weeks. However, they were cautioned, warned and discharged by the court.

Daniel forfeited one green Toyota Camry vehicle with registration number: FST – 716 – OJA and chassis number: 4T1BK4619U587040, Okotie forfeited N2, 300, 000. 00 (Two Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira), Oladimeji forfeited N830, 000.00 (Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira), while Yinus forfeited N174, 000.00 (One Hundred and Forty-seven Thousand Naira) among others to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

By Adeyanju Esther

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on Monday arraigned a former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Ademola Banu, before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court in Ilorin for corruption allegations.

Banu is facing charges of alleged money laundering and misappropriation of state funds totaling N1.22 billion during his tenure as commissioner for finance under the administration of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, between May 2011 and May 2019.

The former commissioner was absent during his initial arraignment on February 23, prompting the court to issue a bench warrant against him. However, on the recent court date, both Banu and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed were present.

During the court proceedings, Banu pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him. His legal counsel, Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, moved a motion for bail, citing Banu’s medical condition. The court granted him bail in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in like sum, who must possess landed property within the court’s jurisdiction. Additionally, Banu was required to deposit N5million as a bond into the litigation account of the Federal High Court.

Furthermore, the judge ordered Banu to surrender his international passport to the court and remain in the custody of the EFCC pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions.

The case has been adjourned to June 25 and 26, for trial, signifying a significant step forward in the fight against corruption in Kwara State.