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Court freezes 32 individuals, firms’ accounts linked to Aug. protests

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order freezing 32 bank accounts belonging to individuals and firms linked to the economic crisis protests, which took place in the first week of this month.

The protests took place in spite warnings by security agents it stood the risk of being hijacked by hoodlums and criminal elements.

Lootings, destruction of public and private properties accompanied the action as a result of which more than a hundred people were arrested. Some people, including policemen, were confirmed dead.

Justice Emeka Nweze, who issued the order, said the accounts shall remain frozen pending the conclusion of police’s investigation and prosecution of the case.

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Justice Nweze issued the order while ruling on an order ex-parte motion filed and argued for Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun.

In the ruling rendered on Thursday, an enrolled copy of which The Nation sighted yesterday, the judge equally ordered the banks to apprehend the account holders or any person transacting business on the said accounts.

He ordered the banks to contact the Nigeria Police Force through the telephone numbers: 08035179870 and 07032449912 as soon  as any arrest was  made.

Justice Nwite said: “The banks are hereby directed by this honourable court to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATM while allowing inflow into the said accounts as from the date of this court order.”

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Listed as respondents in the case, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1219/2024, are PA.LIN.HO Global Service Ltd, Innocent Angel Lovet Chinyere Nkiru, Obidient Movement Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Innocent Angel Lovet, and Great Communicators Champion Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd.

Others are: Great Communicators Champion Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd, Opaluwa Eleojo Bob-Simon, NUEE State Chapter,  Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Adaramoye Michael Tobiloba and Popoola Festus.

The affected accounts are domiciled in major national banks, microfinance banks and fin-tech banks.

Counsel to the Egbetokun, Ibrahim Mohammed, while moving the motion, said the accounts as contained in the schedule in respect of which reliefs sought are subject of investigation and are reasonably suspected to be warehousing proceeds of unlawful activities or fraud.

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He added: “If there is any dealing with the account by way of withdrawal or transfer to another account by the persons under investigation/investigator and the persons that have absolute power to deal with the account will render nugatory any consequential order(s) which the court may make at the conclusion of this application.”

He stated that  the accounts are used to promote the offence of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, cyberbullying and cyberstalking which was illegally transferred to the account of the accused persons now at large.

Mohammed added: “That the accused persons were involved in hosting another country’s flag in order to undermine the sovereignty of Nigerian state.”

In a supporting affidavit, it was stated that preliminary investigation revealed that some suspects arrested were being recruited by some financiers to cause mayhem and destroyed life and property.

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Mohammed said preliminary investigation further revealed that the financiers were sending money to recruit the indigents and other vulnerable individuals to carry banners and overthrow a democratically elected government.

He added that preliminary investigation further reveals that some foreign nationals were the harrow head in the unscrupulous act of treasonable felony and promoting terrorism financing in Nigeria.

Mohammed stated that the act of the respondents was akin to the offence of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, cyberstalking and cyberbullying.

He said it is the function of the police to stop this act by apprehending the offenders as offence to one is an offence to all.

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According to him intelligent report gathered so far reveals that the suspects are making effort to transfer or withdraw money from the accounts and unless this honourable court grants this order, otherwise, the investigation will be jeopardise.

He added: “That it will be in the interest of justice to grant this request by freezing the account of the said suspects and order their immediate arrest on sighting them pending the outcome of the investigation and possible prosecution.”

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PHOTOS Of Prisoners Who Escaped Borno Prison And Those Recaptured

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By Mario Deepromoter

Nigerian Correctional Service on Sunday disclosed that about 281 inmates escaped from Maiduguri Medium Security Custodial Centre following severe flooding in the capital city.

NCoS spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, said the agency had alerted the Nigerian Immigration Service, and Nigeria Police Force among other security agencies to help recapture the fleeing inmates.

“Every security agency in the country has been notified and they are on alert to help track down the fleeing inmates wherever they may be. With their help, we will capture them and return them to our custodial centre,” Umar said.

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In a statement on Sunday, he said of the 281 fleeing inmates, seven had already been recaptured and returned to the facility.

“The Nigerian Correctional Service has observed the flooding currently being experienced in Maiduguri, Borno State, and its environment.

The unfortunate incident has left scars, bringing down the walls of the correctional facilities, including the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Maiduguri as well as the staff quarters in the city.

“Upon the evacuation of inmates by officers of the service, with support from sister security agencies to a safe and secure facility, 281 inmates were observed to be missing.

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Presently, a total of seven inmates have been recaptured and returned to custody, while efforts are on the ground to track down the rest and bring them back to safe custody,” the statement read in part.

Abubakar further stated that details of the fleeing inmates had been made available to the public while noting that efforts were underway to track them.

“However, it is important to note that the service is in the custody of their details, including their biometrics, which are being made available to the public. The service is working in synergy with other security agencies as both covert and overt deployments have been activated to locate them. While this effort is ongoing, the public is assured that the incident does not impede or affect public safety,” the statement added.

Recall that the flood affected many parts of Maiduguri, leading to the displacement of over 300,000 residents and the deaths of over 30 people, including children.

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Meanwhile, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Saturday said he was “seriously worried” that jailed Boko Haram terrorists might have escaped from the prison facility.

See Pictures Below;

Prisoners

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SEE new price of petrol across all 36 states

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By Mario Deepromoter

Despite the counter accusations by both Dangote Refinery and NNPCL over prices, the price list of petrol has emerged online.

According to reports, this is because NNPCL bought petrol at a higher price from Dangote Refinery on Sunday.

NNPCL also mentioned that Dangote Refinery sold the petrol in US Dollars, not naira, against the federal government’s directive.

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However, Dangote Refinery will sell its petrol in naira starting in October.

According to a breakdown from NNPCL, Dangote Refinery sold petrol to NNPCL at N898.78 per litre.

NNPCL paid Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) fee of N8.99, inspection fee of N0.97, a distribution cost in Lagos of N15, margin N26.48.

NNPCL’s statement added that the estimated pump price in:
Lagos will be N950.22
Sokoto State N999.22
Kano State N999.22
Borno State N1,019.22
Kaduna N999.22
FCT N992.22
Oyo State N960.22
Lagos State N950.22
Rivers State N980.00
Imo State N980.22

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An analysis of the chart showed that except from Lagos State, other states of the federation will be paying higher because of distribution costs.

The distance from Dangote Refinery and NNPCL‘s depot in Lagos State to other states of the country majorly would determine the price differences.

The report also showed that the six geo-political zones would be paying differently.

The North East states would be paying the highest per liter from N1,019.22, followed by North West states from N999.22, followed by North Central states from N992.22, followed by South East states from N980.22, South South states from N980.22 and South West states paying the least from N960.22, except Lagos State paying from N950.22.

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At the time of filing this report, the presidency is yet to speak on the latest development.

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Rivers 2027: Ogoni powerful men snub Fubara, throw weight behind Wike

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By Mario Deepromoter

Political heavyweights from the Ogoni and Oyigbo zones have formally withdrawn their support for Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The leaders have dumped Fubara and lace their boots with the action packed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The leaders gathered on Saturday in Nonwa, Tai Local Government Area, at an event tagged “Ogoni, Oyigbo People’s Assembly.”

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The assembly, which focused on fostering unity between the two ethnic zones, was heavily attended by politicians loyal to Wike, who remains locked in a bitter political feud with Fubara, his estranged protégé.

Prominent personalities, including Senators Barinada Mpigi and Magnus Abe, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, and Chief Victor Giadom, attended the meeting.

The group emphasized that after years of marginalization, it was time for Ogoni and Oyigbo to produce the next governor of Rivers State.

Speaking on behalf of the assembly, Senator Mpigi declared, “The Ogoni and Oyigbo Peoples Assembly, a multi-political convergence of five Local Government Areas within the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, met today to reaffirm their support for the President Bola Tinubu-led administration and pledged total loyalty to the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike.

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“We also reiterate the obvious fact that the senatorial district’s upland is due for a governor and should produce the next governor of Rivers State come 2027.”

Tensions between Wike and Governor Fubara have been mounting, with Wike publicly withdrawing his support for his former ally.

Wike, who was instrumental in Fubara’s rise to power, has accused the governor of straying from their shared vision for the state.

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