News
Don’t nominate fraudsters and those who mock Edo South, Benin group cautions party members
A charitable group, the Oseghe Edo Global Front, has said that it is irritated by the transactional politics, uncontrolled greed and self-preservation, that continually characterise the body politic of the six local government areas (LGAs) of Edo South Senatorial District of Edo State.
The group regretted that the distruct had again been relegated in the 2024 governorship election in the state, where nearly those who were aspiring for the sole governorship seat were either unserious contestants, ill-equipped or went into the race in order to be paid off by more serious aspirants from the other two senatorial zones of the state zone.
This and some other issues were raised by the group, in a press statement signed by its Worldwide Coordinator, Dr. Osarugue Ekhosuehi and Barrister (Mrs.) Ivie Oseye, its Secretary General.
“We are angered and dispirited that an experienced contestant from our South District, who have teeming followers, could cheapen himself and our people, who all along laboured to support his aspiration, and suddenly withdraw from the race to support an aspirant from outside our senatorial zone, after receiving gratification running into billions of Naira,” the group said.
It added: “We are thoroughly ashamed of the Edo South aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), political platform, for allowing our people to be mocked, that we are a district that cannot produce quality governors and elective officers and so play a second fiddle to outsiders, who field well-qualified persons”
The group further regretted that it was very unfortunate that Edo South had the same leadership deficit in a sitting governor of Edo South origin, whose three years in the office had been eaten by the locusts and were of no benefit to our people.
The Coalition, which has teeming members spread across the world, warned members of APC from the zone not to vote the very National Assembly member, who the withdrawn aspirant from Edo South, had sold his supporters to, saying that the Edo South APC members and voters would work against ill-motive aspirants from a zone who incessantly mocked their zone and traditional institution.
It also warned against nominating governorship aspirants from the South District, who have questionable and fraudulent characters, including those from the central district, who would use the position to enslave the Edo South, as they had done in the past.
The group stressed that APC aspirants from Edo North zone can be supported with governorship power by the South, who would not relegate their zone, as it indicated that there some aspirant from that zone had positively impacted the progress of the state and Edo North and could be trusted to run a transparent government if he is nominated as a standard bearer and elected governor.
By Francesca Hangeior
The Oyo high court in Ibadan has sentenced Olaniyan Gbenga Amos to 63 years imprisonment over a string of investment fraud.
The presiding judge, Olusola Adetujoye, convicted Amos alongside his company, Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited.
Amos was arraigned by the Ibadan zonal directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 30-count charge bordering on fraudulent dealings.
The charges bordered on false pretences, an offence contrary to section 1(1)(a) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
“That you Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited on or about 18th of June, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N995, 000.00 (Nine Hundred and Ninety-five Thousand Naira) only from Bada Titilope, when you falsely represented to him that the money is meant for registration and investment with Crime Alert Security Network with a promise of 30% return on Investment in 6 weeks (30 working days), which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of Obtaining Money under false pretence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006,” part of the charge sheet reads.
“That you Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited on or about 29th of January, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N920, 000.00 (Nine Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira) only from Onifade Isaac Olawale, when you falsely represented to him that the money is meant for registration and investment with Crime Alert Security Network with a promise of 30% return on Investment in 6 weeks (30 working days), which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of Obtaining Money under false pretence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
After the plea was taken, Sanusi Galadanchi, counsel to EFCC, opened the prosecution’s case on February 17, 2022.
Galadanchi called eight witnesses, tendered several exhibits, and closed the case on January 24, 2023.
Afterwards, the defendant filed a no case submission, which was rejected by the court.
The court also ordered the defendant to enter his defence against the prosecution’s case.
Subsequently, Amos opened his case and testified as the lone witness for himself and on behalf of the second defendant, his company.
The defendant closed his case on October 17, 2024.
During the court proceedings on Monday, Adetujoye convicted and sentenced the defendant to seven years imprisonment on each count of 6, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 24.
The judge discharged and acquitted him on counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 respectively.
The court ordered that the sentence should run concurrently.
The judge also ordered the defendant to make restitution to the victims.
In December 2023, Amos was convicted and sentenced to 75 years imprisonment by Bayo Taiwo, a judge of the Oyo state high court, for a similar offence.
The defendant also has two other ongoing trials before federal high courts in Ibadan.
Tension as no fewer than 26 soldiers were reportedly killed when their truck hit an improvised explosive device in restive Borno State, Northeast Nigeria.
Another 20 soldiers were also reported to have been seriously wounded and taken to the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army hospital in Maiduguri, the state capital.
Military sources on Tuesday evening revealed that the incident occurred when a military truck conveying soldiers from Damboa to Maiduguri hit a landmine.
According to the source, “Twenty-six Nigerian soldiers were killed today (Tuesday) as they were moving from Damboa to Maiduguri, Borno State capital. The incident happened when their truck hit a landmine, killing 26 soldiers on the spot. Twenty other soldiers were equally wounded and have been taken to the 7 Division, Nigerian Army Hospital for treatment.”
The deadly blast one of sources who pleaded anonymity said occurred while the handing over ceremony of the former General Officer Commanding 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Haruna, to the new GOC for the Division, Brig-Gen. V. I. Una Nwachukwu, was taking place.
The incident comes amid increasing violence in northeast Nigeria in recent days, with the death toll rising to at least 50 people.
The region has been plagued for decades by armed groups, including the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, with violence flaring up in recent days.
The Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on Telegram on Tuesday.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, had earlier told Nigeria’s defence minister and military chiefs that Boko Haram and ISWAP were entrenching themselves in Lake Chad islands, Sambisa Forest, and Mandara mountains on the border with Cameroon due to “military setbacks.”
Meanwhile, the military has yet to confirm the incident as efforts to speak with the Acting Director, Nigeria Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Apolonia Anele were unsuccessful as she could not be reached on telephone as at the time of filing this report.
SAHARA REPORTERS
Rilokwah Jatau, a 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), was found dead in an apparent suicide in the university’s senior staff quarters.
The discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by Emmanuel Gyawo, a security officer at the university, who was directed by Professor Shedrack Jatau to check on his son.
Upon arriving at the residence, Gyawo found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of state at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. His body has been deposited in the hospital morgue.
Police sources say investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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