Justice Ekerete Akpan of the Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded 113 foreign nationals at Kuje and Suleja correctional facilities.

The foreigners were arraigned before the court on Friday on the allegations of their involvement in high-level cybercrime and hacking activities said to be threatening Nigeria’s national security.

The accused persons comprising 87 men and 26 women from China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, Philippines, Myanmar and Malaysia, as well as 17 Nigerian collaborators were facing six counts bordering on cybercrime, money laundering and unlawful residency in Nigeria.

Justice Akpan declared that the male defendants be remanded at Kuje prison while the females should be taken to Suleja prison.

The suspects were arrested on November 3, 2024, at Plot 1906, Cadestral Zone 807, Katampe District of Abuja. They were allegedly using computers and other sophisticated devices to facilitate criminal activities.

In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/599/2024, the suspects were alleged to have accessed a computer network and input, altered, and deleted suppressed data, resulting in inauthentic data, with the intention that such inauthentic data would be considered or acted upon as if they were authentic or genuine.

They were also alleged to have removed “from Nigeria proceeds generated from operating fraudulent and unregistered gambling platforms.”

According to the charge sheet, the platforms are 9f.com, c2.top, and 8pg.top.

The accused persons were also charged with entering “the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a business permit of 30 days duration and failed, or neglected to leave the Nigerian territory at the expiration of the said permit and remained in Nigeria without a valid resident permit or appropriate valid visa.”

At the resumption of proceedings on Friday, the arraignment of the suspects was also stalled because the defendants’ names were misrepresented on the charge sheet.

Counsel to some of the defendants, James Onoja (SAN) told the court that there was a need to have interpreters to interpret for those who do not understand English.

Onoja asked the court to adjourn the scheduled arraignment following an observation that there were discrepancies in the names of the defendants, arguing that some of the names given to the defendants were not their proper names.

The prosecution counsel, A. A. Egwu, who did not oppose the adjournment request, stated that the police lacked the facility to continue to keep the defendants, stating that he had earlier filed an ex-parte motion for the accused persons to be remanded in a correctional centre.

Egwu said most of the defendants were arrested without their papers, urging the court to remand them in a correctional centre pending their arraignment.

Following the submission of the counsel, the court ruled that the defendants should produce their travelling documents for their proper names and spellings to be gotten.

Meanwhile, counsel to the Brazilian accused persons, Eric Oba, asked the court to separate his clients from other defendants.

Oba appealed to the court to conduct separate trials for them, just as he prayed the court to allow his clients to stay back at the police facility.

He said the Brazilians were afraid that they could be harmed by the other defendants because they made extra-judicial statements to the police that others were not happy about.

Rejecting Oba’s appeal, Justice Akpan directed him to file a formal application for the separation of the trial of his clients.

He adjourned the case to Friday, November 29, for arraignment.

Gunmen on Thursday afternoon, have abducted three relatives of former Daily Trust Editor, Ahmed Ajobe.

The victims include a male and two females including Ajobe’s immediate younger sister, Halimtu-Sadiya Tahir.

City Round gathered that they were abducted on their way from a nearby community market in Awo, in the Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, along the deplorable Ankpa-Adoka-Markudi road.

Ajobe who had lost his mother, Malama Aishetu Tahir on Sunday after a protracted illness was preparing for the seven days prayers.

The victims were said to have gone to the market to purchase items for the seven-day prayers of the ace journalist’s deceased mother when they were kidnapped.

Although Ajobe could not be immediately reached for details on the incident, a family friend who preferred anonymity said their abductors have demanded N50 million for the release of the victims.

“Yes, three of Ajobe’s family members were kidnapped at gunpoint at about 3 pm on Thursday. The kidnappers reached out on Friday afternoon demanding N50 million as ransom.

“However, I can’t confirm what the family is offering in the negotiations because I had to leave the community for an emergency in Lokoja.

“What I can say is that no amount has been paid yet and the victims are still in captivity,” he explained.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, William Aya, confirmed the incident, adding that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area, had already deployed his men to the area to ensure the rescue of the victims.

He added that the Police Commissioner, Bethrand Onuoha, has also ordered the drafting of the police tactical team to the area to reinforce the team there.

“Everything possible would be done to ensure the safe release of the abducted person and bring the criminals to justice,” Aya said.

Operatives of Rivers State Police Command have rescued a kidnap victim from his armed abductors.

According to report, the victim was rescued minutes after he was kidnapped in Oyigbo area of the state, following the swift intervention of the police.

Report further revealed that police operatives, on getting a distress call, had chased the abductors, resulting in a gun duel, and that the criminals had abandoned the target and fled, following the superior firepower of the police.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the incident happened on Sunday.

Iringe-Koko in the statement, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, said police rescued the victim who was abandoned in the vehicle, recovered the operational car used by the kidnappers and one gun.

She said: “On November 17, 2024, about 2023hrs, operatives of the Command received a distress call from the Command’s Control Room indicating that a gang of armed men numbering about four operating in a Black colour Toyota Corolla car shot sporadically and kidnapped one Madabuchi Julius ‘m’ at Sabbath Filling Station, Oyigbo.

“Operatives were swiftly mobilised to the scene and the hoodlums on sighting the Police operatives drove off, but they were given a hot chase by the operatives and subsequently intercepted along Egbu Street, Oyigbo and and a gun duel…….ensued between the Police operatives and the hoodlums.

“The hoodlums could not withstand the Police superior fire power and eventually abandoned the victim and their operational vehicle with registration number RIVERS PHC 938 AH and escaped. The victim was rescued unhurt and the vehicle recovered.

“Investigation is ongoing while concerted efforts are intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and recover their operational weapons.”

Iringe-Koko noted the police in another development arrested some suspected criminals and recovered some items.