Metro
EFCC re-arraigns don for alleged N1.4bn fraud

A professor, Uche Chigozie, who allegedly defrauded the Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, was on Thursday re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before a Federal High Court in Lagos, for N1.47bn money laundering.
Chigozie, who was arraigned alongside three companies, Visionary Integrated Consulting Ltd, Nemad Associates Ltd. and Revamp Global Enterprises, is facing 11 counts bordering on conspiracy, fraud, stealing, and money laundering, preferred against him by the EFCC.
He was first arraigned in August 2023, before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, and had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Justice Oweibo was, however, transferred out of the Lagos Division, and the case was reassigned to the new trial judge, Justice Dehinde Dipeolu.
The EFCC’s prosecution counsel, Mrs Chinenye Okezie, told the court that the defendant allegedly conspired with the other defendants, and used the sum of N1.47bn belonging to the Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria.
Okezie said that the defendant allegedly retained the sum of N197m in his UBA account, which formed part of the proceeds of illegal act of gratification.
She also told the court that Chigozie allegedly used N120m to acquire a property in his name, in the Gwarimpa area of Abuja and another N200m, to acquire two properties in Owerri, Imo State.
The anti-graft agency said the defendant used the aggregate sum of N90m to acquire several plots of land in parts of Owerri.
He was further accused of using the sum of N34m to acquire three Toyota Hilux vehicles in his name.
The commission also said that the defendant allegedly received a dollar cash payment equivalent to N87m from one Muwawiyya Haruna, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law.
Our correspondent gathered that the EFCC said the defendant ought to have known that the money formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity of fraud.
According to the commission, the offences committed contravened Sections 1(a), 15(1), 15(2), 15(3), 16, and 18(a) of the Money Laundering Act, 2012.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Following the defendant’s plea on Thursday, the defence counsel, Mr Etudo Mefo, urged the court to allow the defendant to continue on an earlier bail granted him by the court on August 7, 2023.
But the prosecutor, Okezie, urged the court to only allow the defendant to continue on his existing bail if the defence counsel would undertake to ensure his attendance in court.
She explained to the court that the defendant had been absent on certain occasions, which she claimed had caused some drama.
The prosecutor, therefore, insisted that she would not oppose if the defence counsel made that undertaking.
In his response, the defence counsel told the court that when the defendant was first granted bail, his sureties included his biological father as well as a legal practitioner.
He told the court that he was willing to add to the number, and thus undertook to ensure attendance of the defendant in court.
Following the agreement of the parties, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the case until March 13 for trial.
Metro
Police foil robbery in FCT estate, nab two suspects

Operatives of the Mabushi Division of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have foiled a robbery attempt at the Royal Court Estate, Jahi II, Abuja.
The operatives arrested two suspects following a gun battle.The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, March 27, at about 3:20 a.m. after a distress call was received.
Upon arrival, the police officers were engaged in a shootout by the robbers but eventually overpowered them with superior firepower.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, on Sunday, the suspects, Rabiu Jubril and Ibrahim Isa, both residents of Tipper Garage, Jahi—were arrested after a hot pursuit.
Adeh said, “On March 27, 2025 at about 3:20 a.m., operatives of the Mabushi Division responded swiftly to a distress call reporting ongoing robbery at Royal Court Estate, Jahi II.
“Upon arrival at the scene, the police operatives were engaged in a gun duel by the hoodlums. However, the suspects were overpowered by the superior firepower of the police and attempted to flee with gunshot injuries.
“A hot pursuit ensued, leading to the arrest of two suspects—Rabiu Jubril and Ibrahim Isa, both residents of Tipper Garage, Jahi. ”
Adeh added that items recovered from the suspects include two locally made firearms, three suspected stolen vehicles— a black Toyota Matrix (Reg. No. NBS 348 CP), a black Toyota Venza (Reg. No. ABJ 105 AV), and a grey Lexus IS350 (Reg. No. RSH 295 CB).
She stated that electronic devices such as two MacBook Pro laptops, a Lenovo laptop, an iPad, a PS4 gaming console, a Canon IP1224 camera, and a drone camera were also recovered.
“The suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, ” Adeh added.
Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao Adewale, urged residents to adopt proactive security measures, especially by installing tracking devices in their vehicles to aid recovery efforts in case of theft.
Metro
How I was robbed of N15.5 million by my girlfriend, her brother, and a group of cultists

It was a sour but unforgettable experience for a 35-year-old Nigerian man identified as Emeka Nwogu last Valentine day as his 25-year-old girlfriend connived with her younger brother and some cultists to attack and rob him of N15.5m.
The attackers also went away with his valuables including three mobile phones.
The story which looks like a script from Nollywood took place at Ago Palace Way in Lagos after the man and his lover girl spent Valentine day in one of the hotels at Ago Palace and decided to eat out the following day little knowing that the girl had another agenda against him with her younger brother and his gang of cultists.
Police sources said while they were in one of the new restaurants enjoying themselves, his girlfriend insisted that they must go back to the hotel for her to ease herself. The unsuspecting boyfriend obliged her but expressed concerns after they passed the bus stop leading to their hotel but the girl asked him not to worry. However, according to sources, as soon as they got down in another bus stop, some armed boys attacked and dragged them to a secluded place in one of the estates where they beat and tortured the man with guns and axes. They then disappeared with his phones after forcing him to disclose the password of his Bitcoin, Binance and Trust accounts and removed about $9,700.
It was learned that after the attack, the man and his girlfriend rushed to Ago Palace police station where they lodged a report. However, the story took a different dimension after the police got to the scene of the incident as one of the security guards who witnessed the attack whispered to them that one of the perpetrators was always seen with the man’s girlfriend who was busy shedding tears in their presence. Based on this startling revelation, the girl was arrested and taken to their station where she confessed that it was her younger brother and his friends that attacked them.
She reportedly told detectives that she was angry after seeing her boyfriend’s Whatsapp chats with other girls and that was why she contracted her younger brother to organize the attack with his friends. Crime Guard learned that at this stage, the case was transferred to the Commissioner of Police Special Squad 1, while the police succeeded in tracing her residence but her younger brother had fled.
Sources said her father, on hearing the development, promised to search for his son and return the stolen items. He however returned only N3m which his son claimed was part of the N5m kept as his sister’s share of the loot. It was gathered that when detectives intensified investigations, they arrested four other members of the gang who confessed that they were members of Aiye confraternity at Ago Palace Way. Those arrested include Ogbuka Tochukwu, 22; John Wisdom, 25; Odora Michael, 24, and Babatunde Ibrhaim, 20. Items recovered from them are; one locally made gun, four local cartridges, one battle axe belonging to Aiye confraternity and N7.5milliom cash.
The victim told reporters that he was greatly traumatized after realizing that his girlfriend of four years masterminded the attack. “I spent Valentine’s night with her in a hotel and we enjoyed ourselves. The following day while we were in a lounge enjoying ourselves, she went out severally after her phone rang. I did not know she was planning to attack me with her brother and cultists and steal my hard-earned money and property. I commend the CP squad for doing a good job.”
Recall that it was the same squad that eliminated a notorious gang of kidnappers that were terrorizing Lagos and environs last year at the popular Ladipo market in Lagos.
(Saturday Vanguard)
Metro
Court remands three Anambra native doctors over alleged criminal activities

The Anambra State Government yesterday arraigned three native doctors before a State High Court for alleged involvement in criminal activities.
The suspects were Chidozie Nwangwu popularly known as “Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki”, Onyebuchi Okocha known as “Onye Eze” and Ekene Igboezekwe popularly known as “Eke Hit”.
They were charged in suit numbers A/41C2025, A/40C2025 and A/42C2025 respectively with alleged claims of possessing supernatural powers to make money or stagnate destiny, as well as conspiracy to commit felony to wit kidnapping and obtaining by fraud.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspects were all arrested by the Anambra Security outfit known as “Agunechemba” in February and have been in detention till date.
The prosecution counsel, Mr. F.C. Okeke, told the court that the charges against the suspect had been served them and that they were ready to proceed with the case.
But the defence counsel, Mr S.O. Iwuoba and others took turns to inform the court that the processes were not served in good time to enable them to respond.
The charges were not read in detail as a result of the development.
The presiding Judge, Justice Jude Obiora, ordered that the suspects be returned to Agunechemba detention facility to make for proper processing.
Obiora adjourned the cases to April 11 for proper arraignment and pleadings.
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