Metro
N40m fraud: Mama Boko Haram, two others to spend 10 years in jail
Aisha Alkali Wakil, popularly known as Mama Boko Haram, and two others, Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Soyade, have been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for a fraud worth N40 million.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said on Monday Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, convicted the trio of Wakil, Daura, and Soyade after they were arraigned by the commission on two counts of conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of forty million naira.
The EFCC spokesman noted in the statement that Wakil, Daura, and Shoyade, respectively, CEO, Programme Manager, and Country Director of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, and Saidu Mukhtar, now at large, did, with intent to defraud, obtain N40 million from Bashir Abubakar, the CEO of Duty-Free Shop Ltd, under the false pretence of executing a purported contract for the supply of five x-ray machines with solar energy.
According to Oyewale, the offence was contrary to Section 1(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to them.
Counsel for the prosecution, A.I. Arogha, presented four witnesses and tendered 17 exhibits before the court.
Justice Fadawu consequently convicted them and sentenced them to 10 years imprisonment for the offence of conspiracy. The court further sentenced the defendants to 10 years imprisonment for the offence of obtaining by false pretence and ordered them to jointly and severally pay the sum of N40 million to Bashir Muhammad.
The judge ordered that prison terms run concurrently.
Oyewale wrote in the statement: “The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began when a petitioner alleged that they swindled him through a purported contract for the supply of five x-ray machines 1900 with solar energy to a non-governmental organisation, Complete Care and Aid Foundation, worth N40m. They neither supplied the machines nor returned the contract sum to the petitioner.”
Metro
Three arrested with fake notes worth N129bn in Kano
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says its operatives have seized fake currencies worth N129 billion in Kano state.
In a statement on Tuesday, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said three suspects were arrested in connection with the fake currencies.
Adejobi identified the suspects as Nura Ibrahim, Muhammed Muntari, and Usman Abdullahi.
“Recently, in Kano, the police successfully recovered the sum of N129,542,823,000 in counterfeit currencies, with a breakdown of 3,366,000 in counterfeit US dollars, 51,970 in counterfeit CFA franc, and 1,443,000 in counterfeit naira,” the statement reads.
“This momentous achievement was recorded on the 8th of December 2024, at Gwale, Kano state, where police operatives acting on credible intelligence accosted one Nura Ibrahim ‘m’ and, upon a conducted search, discovered N392,000 counterfeit notes, $7800 counterfeit notes, and 5 different ATM cards.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of his accomplices, Muhammed Muntari ‘m’ and Usman Abdullahi ‘m,’ as well as the recovery of the other counterfeit currencies.”
In a related development, Adejobi said police operatives arrested three suspected gunrunners along the Kaduna-Kano expressway.
The suspects are Buhari Suleiman, Jamil Yakubu, and Aliyu Abdullahi.
“The suspects were apprehended after the police operatives noticed their suspicious activities and approached them to question them,” Adejobi said.
“A subsequent search was conducted, which led to the recovery of 216 rounds of 9mm live ammunition and 1 round of AK-47 ammunition.
“Similarly, on the 8th of December 2024, police operatives in Kebbi state rescued 36 victims of kidnapping along Mairairai/Bena Road in Danko/Wasagu LGA who were returning from their respective farms.
“As a follow-up to the rescue, police operatives have visited the community to engage its members, debrief the rescued victims, and assure the people of its continuous readiness to ensure their safety and security.”
Metro
Popular Nigerian Governor’s Sister Shot Dead Mistakenly By Police
Atsi Kefas, the sister of the Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas, who was “accidentally shot” by a police escort while wading off bandits’ attack, is dead, SaharaReporters has gathered.
The deceased was said to be travelling last Thursday along Kente Road in the Wukari Local Government Area of the state when some gunmen attacked her and the governor’s mother, Jumai Kefas.
In the confusion during the attack, a police officer assigned to escort the family accidentally shot Atsi Kefas while attempting to fend off the assailants.
Sources said that the governor’s sister died at a hospital in Abuja where she was taken to for advanced medical care.
“She died last night. She finally succumbed to her injuries. The governor and his family are yet to release an official statement on the passing of Atsi Kefas. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time,” a source said.
A source close to the governor also confirmed the death of Atsi.
“Yes, the younger sister to Taraba state Governor who was shot recently by bandits while travelling to Abuja, has passed away.”
Metro
Just in: Many Causalities As Policemen Clash With OPC
There was confusion on Tuesday as fight broke out in Lagos State following a clash between policemen and suspected members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC).
It was gathered that the incident happened at Taiwo Ago Palace in the Okota area of the state.
“OPC and the police are fighting and the police went to reinforce and right now, they’re arresting everyone in the street,” a source said in a terse message.
The Lagos State Police Spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, was not available to give reaction when contacted him.
“Sorry I can’t take this call right now,” he said after refusing to answer repeated phone calls made to him by SaharaReporters.
He has also not yet responded to text messages sent to him demanding for his comment on the incident.
It has been a near regular incident for the Nigerian police officers and the OPC members to engage in clash in the Southwest region of the country, particularly in Lagos.
In January 2023, at least one person was confirmed dead in a clash between Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), and operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The clash was said to have happened when the policemen fired tear-gas canisters to disperse the group of “Yoruba Nation” agitators around the Gani Fawehinmi Park in the Ojota area of Lagos.
A tricycle operator, who refused to disclose his name for fear of being arrested by armed policemen parading the premises, had said the protesters were demonstrating peacefully when a policewoman gave the police personnel an order to disperse the protesters.
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