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Just in: Military Detains Investigative Journalist, Fisayo Soyombo

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Nigerian investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, has been reportedly arrested and detained by the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The arrest, which took place three days ago, was confirmed by the Foundation For Investigative Journalism (FIJ) on its official page on Friday morning.

It was gathered that Soyombo’s detention may be linked to his work exposing corruption and smugglers aided by Nigerian Customs Services.

The FIJ has called for his immediate release and raised the alarm over the increasing threats to press freedom in the country.

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Soyombo, known for his investigative reporting on high-profile issues such as corruption, abuse of power, and human rights violations, has previously faced various threats and harassment.

“The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has been detaining our founder ‘Fisayo Soyombo 3 days running. Journalism is not a crime,” FIJ said.

Earlier in November, the media had reported that Soyombo released more videos to establish his smuggling allegations involving Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officers.

Fisayo, in a statement issued on his verified social media handles, had alleged that Nigerian customs officers had conspired with Adeyemi Habeeb Abdulganiy, an alleged multi-billionaire-naira smuggler better known as Abuga, to illegally pass about 2000 cars and smuggle in bags of rice into the country.

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He had said the illegal operation was slated to take place on Sunday, 10th of November, 2024.

The journalist wrote: “All is set. Your men, working with Adeyemi Habeeb Abdulganiy, the multi-billionaire-smuggler better known as Abuga, are primed to pass more than 2,000 cars containing at least 65 bags of rice each from Bebe in the Benin Republic into Sango, Nigeria.

“Some of these cars will enter Sango from the toll gate by driving against traffic, consequently endangering lives, while some will gain entry into Sango through Ifo; others will use the Oju-Ore-Ota route.

“Road users in Sango can expect traffic congestion early tomorrow morning unless this post prompts an about-face from the actors. I understand as well that soldiers from the 192 battalion at Owode will be patrolling during the journey to prevent any resistance.

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“So, @CustomsNG, just so you know, the people are watching; they will be hysterically laughing at you when you announce “seizure of one million bags of rice and 25 cartons of guns” later this week.”

However, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, said that Fisayo’s claims were fictitious.

He had said it was illogical for anyone to believe their personnel were involved in the illegal operation.

In his another post, Fisayo had released two more videos to substantiate his smuggling allegations against the customs officers.

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He said: “Since Maiwada considers my revelations ‘tales by moonlight’, I am supplying two more video evidence of smuggling-ready rice cars merely awaiting final clearance from rogue Customs officers.”

“If, after this, Maiwada still considers my revelations fictitious, I’m happy to share more videos with you. I’m just trying to be useful to you, so you can in turn be useful to Nigerians rather than your pockets,” the journalist added.

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Mahama’s inauguration: Ghanaian police IG controls traffic

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Being a typically busy day in Accra, due to the inauguration of the President-Elect, John Dramani Mahama, and his vice, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the traffic situation especially around the Independence Square is expected to be challenging.

And, although he had already deployed many police personnel to the grounds of the inauguration to ensure security, law, and order, the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, was forced at a point to help in the work itself.

In images shared by Daily Graphic on Facebook, the IGP was captured directing traffic at a certain part of the city.

This is believed to have happened as he headed to the Black Star Square to join other invited guests and dignitaries for the inauguration of John Mahama as the president of Ghana.

“The IGP stepped out of his car en route to the inauguration grounds to direct traffic,” the caption of the post on Facebook said.

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The momentous and historic occasion has drawn significant attention both domestically and internationally.

It is expected to be attended by 21 Heads of State, alongside three vice presidents, four ministers, and 24 envoys.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Information, the swearing-in ceremony will also feature a number of dignitaries from across the world, including 21 Heads of State from Africa and beyond.

Other dignitaries from across all sectors of the economy, including foreign leaders and security service personnel are also in attendance.

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Source: www.ghanaweb.com

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ICPC drags El-rufai’s ex-Chief of Staff to court over alleged money laundering

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged former Chief of Staff, to former Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, to the Federal High Court.

Saidu who was also a one-time Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna State during the El Rufai’s administration, was charged along with    one Ibrahim Muktar, ‘’a public officer in the employment of Ministry of Finance,’’ on Tuesday.

According to charge No FHC/KD/IC/2025,  the defendants are being accused of a two-count charges of Money Laundering, contrary to earlier claim that Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu had  been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of investigation.

The court document stated that sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, who at that time Commissioner of Finance, ‘’did accept cash payment of the sum of N155,000,000.00 from one Ibrahim Muktar exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’

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The ICPC  also alleged that in the same March 2022 or thereabouts, Bashir Saidu ‘’indirectly took control of the sum of N155, 000,000.00 received in cash for and on behalf of you by one Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which fund you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’

Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 states that ‘’any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection(2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both.’’

The charge  which was signed by the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, was filed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Holden in Kaduna.

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Enugu State Government System Hacked, Over N1 Billion Stolen — Police reveals

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Police authorities on Tuesday, revealed how a cyber criminal hacked into the system of the Enugu State Government and stole the whooping sum of N1,097,700,300 from its coffers.

The police said it took the swift intervention of the operatives of its departments, National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), to trace the hacker and recover the stolen money.

The spokesman of the Force, Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja during a press briefing, gave the name of the suspected hacker as Onuma Osita.

The police image maker told newsmen that the hacker had already been taken into custody while the funds estimated to be $754,977 had been recovered and returned to the state government purse.

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Adejobi said, “NPF-NCCC investigated a report by the Enugu State Government against one Onuma Osita who defrauded the Enugu State Government of over N1bn in a procurement fraud.

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