Eighty-five Chinese nationals who were remanded at Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja over alleged cybercrime have been released on bail, Sunday PUNCH has gathered.

The spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Capital Territory Command, Adamu Duza, who disclosed this to our correspondent said the Chinese were released on Friday, December 20, 2024.

The suspects were part of a group of 113 foreign nationals arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on November 24, 2024 on charges of cybercrime, money laundering, and unlawful residency in Nigeria.

The group includes individuals from Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Malaysia, as well as 17 Nigerian collaborators.

Justice Ekerete Akpan, who presided over the case, had initially ordered the remand of the male defendants at Kuje prison and female defendants at Suleja prison.

The charges stem from the allegations that the accused persons used sophisticated computer systems to facilitate hacking activities and operate fraudulent gambling platforms such as 9f.com, c2.top, and 8pg.top.

They were also accused of overstaying their business permits and remaining in Nigeria without valid residency or visas.

The suspects were arrested on November 3, 2024, in Katampe District, Abuja.

Duza confirmed to Sunday PUNCH that the release of the 85 Chinese nationals was supervised by the FCT Controller of Corrections, Ajibogun Olatubosun, to ensure all protocols were followed and their personal properties were returned.

He said, “85 Chinese in our detention facilities have been released on bail. The Controller was on ground to ensure their release and their properties intact.”

The Federal Government is set to unveil a total of 60 buses any moment from now as part of its commitment to ease the transportation of Nigerians travelling by road during the yuletide season.

This initiative is part of an agreement signed with transport unions under the Ministry of Transportation’s free transportation programme.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi, disclosed this during an interview with Sunday PUNCH, on Friday.

On Friday, the government, through the Nigerian Railway Corporation, declared free rides for 340,000 train users travelling to their hometowns for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Providing further updates on the scheme, Oluwagbemi said the buses for the programme would soon be launched for the benefit of Nigerians.

He explained that the buses would transport passengers travelling between Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as to Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta, and other surrounding areas.

Oluwagbemi said, “There is an agreement on the mass-transit programme. You all already know that in Abuja today, we have those 15 buses running interstate from here to Gwagwalada, to Keffi and Nyanya, as well as Zuba in Niger State.

“That programme is already ongoing, and it will be expanded to interstate routes this week. So, we are going to put an additional 60 buses to run interstate here in Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as Lagos, Ibadan, and Abeokuta and neighbouring states.

“These buses will be providing free transportation till the beginning of next year as part of the Ministry of Transportation’s free transportation programme.”

Oluwagbemi also stated that the government planned to reduce transportation costs by converting cab drivers’ vehicles to CNG by the end of January 2025.

He added, “We signed a number of those agreements, but mainly two types of agreements, the transporters-vehicle agreement, where we are converting their vehicles.

“I believe a lot of them are now converted and before the end of January, they should be able to apply those discounts when they reach the benchmark targets.”

The Federal Government of Nigeria has earmarked a total of N960bn for the maintenance of the country’s defence aircraft and the purchase of security equipment across various sectors in the 2025 fiscal year.

The agencies procuring this equipment include the Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, and Nigeria Immigration Service, among others.

Although not explicitly stated in the proposed 2025 budget, the allocation of this amount could be linked to the government’s commitment to bolstering national security amid persistent challenges such as insurgency, banditry, and cyber threats.

In the breakdown, the Nigerian Defence Academy allocated N2,149,210,875 for security equipment, while the Nigerian Air Force budgeted N5,250,000,000 for security equipment and N70,450,575,356 for defence equipment.

The Nigerian Navy allotted N39,445,320,666 for defence equipment, while the Nigerian Army budgeted N4,873,731,363 for security equipment and N110,202,679,367 for defence equipment.

Others include the Ministry of Defence, which allocated N2,752,000,000 for defence equipment and N1,081,270,000 for security equipment, and the DSS, which earmarked N10,323,730,384 for security equipment.

The Nigeria Immigration Service had the largest single allocation with N438,817,624,296 for security equipment, while the Nigeria Correctional Service budgeted N1,231,334,077 for security equipment. The Ministry of Police Affairs allocated N62,508,813 for security equipment.

Additionally, the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit allocated N100,000,000 for security equipment, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps earmarked N82,165,473, while the National Security Adviser’s Office set aside N170,002,000,000 for security equipment.

For the maintenance and fuelling of the country’s security aircraft, the Nigerian Army allocated N8.3bn, while the Nigerian Navy voted N5.6bn, bringing the total to N13.9bn.

The Army also budgeted a total of N51.5bn for the procurement of arms and ammunition, N350m for 10,000 litres of Jet A-1 Bowser, N6bn for protective gear (ballistic helmets and ballistic vests), N2.9bn for uniforms and boots, and N19.1bn for unmanned aerial systems and additional ground stations.

Additionally, N14.4bn was budgeted for the procurement of EQ series 4×4 multifunctional vehicles and camel MRAPs, while N2.29bn was allocated for all types of vehicle tyres, including run-flat tyres.

Recall that in the first seven months of this year, the government spent N63.6bn to procure equipment and ammunition for the military and the Office of the National Security Adviser.

President Bola Tinubu, on December 18, presented a proposed N47.90tn 2025 budget to the National Assembly, describing it as the “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace and Rebuilding Prosperity.” Out of the proposed sum, N4.91tn was allocated to defence and security, underscoring the administration’s focus on addressing the nation’s security challenges.