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AGF battles Polaris Bank, staff for diverting customer’s N16.5bn

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The Kayode Lawal-led Polaris Bank Limited is currently entangled in alleged N16.5 billion fraud.

This is as the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has taken over the prosecution of the bank and a staff member, Chinenye Duru, for diverting N16.5 billion belonging to a customer of the bank.

The office of the Inspector General of Police, which filed the case in December 2023, accused Polaris Bank and Mr Duru of fraudulently diverting over N16.5 billion from a customer’s various accounts within nearly eight years.

The police identified the bank customer and the victim of the alleged crime as Onukogu Victor Hezekiah, the spiritual head of the Living Christ Mission Church, Onitsha, Anambra State, South-east Nigeria.

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According to the prosecution, the defendants diverted the money from Mr Hezekiah’s accounts between 2017 and 2023, while Mr Duru served as the customer’s account officer. Mr Hezekiah is fondly called Daddy Hezkiah by his followers.

A lawyer from the AGF office, V.J. Alma, informed the trial judge, Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that Mr Fagbemi directed the takeover of the case from the police in the exercise of his powers as the AGF under Section 174(1)(b) of the Nigerian constitution.

Mr Alma did not give any reason for the AGF office’s decision to take over the case.

“We have written a letter to the Nigerian police notifying them of this position and requesting the original case file in a letter dated 29 May 2024,” the lawyer said. “We are still waiting for the original case file.”

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Mr Ekwo asked Mr Alma if the AGF office had written to the court about the development, and the lawyer responded in affirmative.

Mr Alma urged the court to fix the matter for trial on a date after the about-to-commence annual vacation of judges.

The judge then told Mr Duru’s lawyer, Chidi Ezenwafor, to advise Polaris Bank, the 1st defendant in the case, to engage a lawyer to represent it in the case.

Mr Ekwo postponed the hearing in the case till 18 and 19 November for trial.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Inspector-General of Police arraigned Mr Duru on 11 counts on 19 January.

He pleaded not guilty to the counts.

The judge remanded Mr Duru in a correctional facility pending the hearing of his bail application.

Polaris Bank and Mr Duru are the first and the 2nd defendants in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/603/2023.

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In the charges, the prosecution accused Polaris Bank and Mr Duru of fraudulently withdrawing N16.5 billion from Mr Hezekiah’s account numbers 1040495455 and 1060104735 between 17 November 2017 and 14 August 2023.

Within the same period, the prosecution alleged that the defendants also fraudulently withdrew N75.534 million from the customer’s other account, 4010023601.

According to the prosecution, the defendants also fraudulently withdrew N13.3 million from the customer’s account number 40910106770 and N16.3 million from his other account number 411054152 within the same period.

The charges said the defendants withdrew the money without authorisation from the owner of the accounts with the intent of converting it for their personal use.

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The police charged the offences under sections 18 (2) and 21 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022. Some of the offences are punishable under section 18(3) of the money laundering law, the police said.

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Katsina: Mob kills two siblings over alleged livestock theft

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A 35-year-old man, Gaddafi Isah, and Badamasi Isah, aged 30, have been beaten to death by a mob over the suspected theft of livestock at Katsayal village in the Sandamu Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A counter-insurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, made this known in a post on his X handle on Monday.

According to him, intelligence sources revealed that the two victims had driven their father’s vehicle to the outskirts of the village to learn to drive.

He stated that, in the process of the practice, a mob approached and accused them of stealing livestock.

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He added that the mob surrounded the two men and beat them severely, causing them to sustain varying degrees of injuries.

“The victims were rescued by the security forces who were deployed to the scene and rushed to the Community Health Centre in Sandamu for treatment, but they were later confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he posted.

He also disclosed that the vehicle the deceased victims were driving was also damaged during the attack.

He noted that the police had launched an investigation into the incident, and efforts were underway to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the attack.

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When contacted, the spokesperson of the state police command, Abubakar Aliyu, did not respond to calls made to his telephone line.

A text message sent had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.

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Stray bullet from VIP convoy kills bystander in Abuja

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A tragic incident unfolded on the evening of Saturday, along the Bwari-Dutse Road in Abuja, where a shooting linked to a VIP convoy claimed the life of a bystander and left several others injured.

According to intelligence sources available to Zagazola Makama, the chaos began after a Daf Trailer Truck reportedly lost its brakes and rammed into five tricycles around 6:50 p.m., resulting in a deadly crash. Eight people were injured in the accident, and two later died from their injuries at Kubwa General Hospital.

As emergency responders and commuters grappled with the aftermath of the crash, a VIP convoy approached the gridlocked scene. Eyewitnesses reported that security personnel in the convoy began firing shots into the air, apparently in an attempt to clear the road.

Amid the confusion, a stray bullet hit Timothy John, a passerby from Dutse Baupma, in the chest.

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He was rushed to Kubwa General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The identity of the VIP or those responsible for the gunfire has not yet been disclosed, sparking public outrage and concern over the reckless actions of convoy security operatives.

Authorities have launched a full investigation into both the accident and the shooting, with the body of Timothy John taken for autopsy.

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Police foil robbery in FCT estate, nab two suspects

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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.

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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).

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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.

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