The Lagos State High Court, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), on Tuesday set aside May 9, 10, and 11 for the prosecution of a prime suspect in the murder of 22-year-old Bamise Ayanwole.
It was gathered that the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) driver, Andrew Nice Omininikoron, accused of killing Bamise, was arraigned on Tuesday morning before Justice Sherifat Sonaike on a four-count charge of conspiracy, murder, and two counts of rape. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Nice’s arraignment followed a legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr Jide Martins, recommending the prosecution of the 47-year-old.
Recall that Bamise went missing after boarding the BRT bus on February 26. She was said to have boarded the bus which was going to Oshodi at about 7pm at Chevron Bus-stop in Lekki.
Her lifeless body was discovered on Carter Bridge, Lagos Island, on March 7, triggering public outrage.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested one of its officers for allegedly videotaping the immediate-past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, while in custody of the anti-graft agency.
This came as the EFCC distanced itself from a viral video which showed Obiano sitting in an isolated area in the commission’s headquarters and interacting with an unidentified person.
The EFCC, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Monday, said the “video is completely at variance with the established Standard Operating Procedure of the EFCC”.
Uwujaren added, “A discreet investigation ordered upon discovery of the leak has revealed the errant officer behind the odious act and he is currently being subjected to appropriate disciplinary action”.
Obiano had spent five days in EFCC’s custody after he was arrested for alleged mismanagement of funds to the tune of N42 billion, among other offences, while he was in office.
He was arrested on Thursday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, a few hours after he handed over to his successor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.
The anti-graft agency granted the ex-governor bail on Monday, but noted that he was yet to fulfil the conditions of his bail.
Terrorists on Sunday invaded Ganar Kiyawa village in Bukkuyum Local Government Area (LGA) of Zamfara State, killing no fewer than 24 people including the village head and other traditional title holders.
During the house-to-house attack which occurred on Sunday morning, the assailants pilfered valuable items and livestock belonging to the residents.
Some of the villagers who escaped the attack had fled into nearby bushes, sources told Premium Times.
Abdullahi Musa, a resident of Gana, not far from Ganar Kiyawa community, said, “All the shops were looted by the bandits while residents ran for their lives.”
Musa added, “We cannot say how many people were kidnapped so far but those who have been killed. The residents were able to gather 23 corpses for burial. Another corpse was also found after the initial 23. It could be more especially now that the residents are afraid to go deep into the bushes to look for their dead”.
Similarly, the youth leader in Bukkuyum LGA told the medium, “Yes, 24 people were killed by the bandits in yesterday’s attack. The village head and some other traditional rulers as well as residents were killed. They (bandits) have been trying to attack the community but because their main targets were not always sleeping in the town, they decided to come in the morning”.
Zamfara is one of the worse hit states that have been ravaged by terrorists in the North West. Residents are frequently killed and abducted for ransom. Their attackers are also said steal their livestock and impose taxes/levies on them, amongst others.
A woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was reportedly killed in Kwara state over the weekend during an exchange of gunfire in a rescue operation between the bandits and a combined team of soldiers and hunters.
The woman, identified as Mrs Olumo Abolaji, APC Women Leader in Koro ward of Ekiti Local Government was one of the eight people kidnapped on Wednesday evening between Araromi Opin and Obbo-Ile in Ekiti local government area of the state.
The politicians, who were all from Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, were returning home the swearing-in of the state executives of the party performed by the state governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in Ilorin when the gunmen suspected to be bandits waylaid them.
It was gathered that five of the eight people involved had escaped from the kidnappers.
According to Mr. Adekunle Oluwole, a relative to one of the victims, who said that five of the eight people involved escaped from the kidnappers listed those involved, as the Isapa Ward Chairman in Ekiti local government area of the state, Mr Daniel Adewuyi; the Eruku ward Chairman; Women Leader Eruku; Women Leader Obbo Ile; Chairman Obbo Ile Ward; Women Leader Koro ward; and Women Leader Isapa ward, among others.
He, however, said that the women leaders of Eruku ward, Obbo-Ile ward and Koro ward were taken away into the forest by the kidnappers.
He said that some of the victims who escaped from the bandits were taken to the hospital in the area for treatment, adding that some politicians from the area including Mr. Ganiyu Abolarin, an elected member of the Kwara state House of Assembly representing Ekiti local government state Constituency and Mr. Wale Awelewa, Chairman of APC in Ekiti local government were in the hospital to wish them quick recovery.
Oluwole also hinted that four Hilux vans loaded with soldiers, local hunters and vigilance men were drafted to the forest to trail the kidnappers and rescued the victims.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Kwara Police Command, Ajayi Okasanmi, could not be reached for his reaction on the fate of the kidnapped victims yesterday as his phone line was switched off.
But, a senior police officer in the state police command, who sought anonymity, confirmed the incident.
He, however, declined to speak further on the issue.
Also, the state chairman of APC in Prince Sunday Fagbemi, confirmed the incident to journalists yesterday saying that “two of the three victims were rescued alive”.
Fagbemi said: “Two of our party women leaders in Eruku ward and Obbo-Ile ward were rescued alive, but unfortunately we lost one of them because the woman leader of Koro ward was killed by the bandits”.
The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, and his co-defendants are set to lose their properties and money in bank accounts to the Federal Government temporarily.
It was learnt that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had in a letter sent to the Ministry of Justice penultimate week, asked the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to grant approval for the seizure of assets belonging to Kyari and his co-accusers.
The suspended DCP and his co-defendants are facing eight counts of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine, and other related offences before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Some of the assets include cash and money in bank accounts, stocks, bonds, vehicles, real estate, hotels, buildings, wristwatches, jewellery and other valuable possessions.
A senior justice ministry official told The Punch that Malami has granted a request made by the NDLEA to seize their assets pending the outcome of their case in court.
He disclosed that the seizure of assets of the former commander of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and his co-accused was to ensure that they did not benefit from the proceeds of crime.
“The AGF has endorsed the request by the NDLEA seeking approval for the confiscation of the assets of Abba Kyari, Ubua and the other police officers involved in drug dealing.
“With the approval, the drug agency can now go after their property such as real estate, bank accounts, cash, vehicles, stocks, bonds and anything of monetary value.” the source said.
Recall that the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, had confirmed that the agency had traced about N4.2bn to Kyari and his co-accused, ACP Sunday Ubua’s bank accounts.
Babafemi added that the accused persons’ bank accounts would be frozen in line with standard practice.
Following the call by the governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, for a ceasefire by the Indigenous People of Biafra in the interest of South-East people, the group, weekend, said it was ready to toe the line of peace provided Soludo did not take the path of his precedessor, Willie Obiano.
The spokesman of the group, Emma Powerful, said the group was peaceful, and only seeking the emancipation of the Igbo.
According to Mr Powerful, “We wish to assure South-East and South-South governors that IPOB members are human beings, and we don’t have plans to suffer our people but any of them who decide to approach us with harsh manner will receive us with harsh manner.”
While assuring Soludo of the group’s support if he doesn’t pose any threat to IPOB, Powerful added that, “We were here when he came and we would be here when he would be leaving.
“His predecessor, former governor Willie Obiano, allowed himself to be used by Fulani people and allowed them to kill his people at Nkpor in 2016 during our annual remembrance of our fallen heroes and heroines who paid the ultimate price for our freedom between 1967 and 1970.
“We won’t accept such to happen again with our members and citizens of Biafra nation.
“IPOB is a peaceful movement, only seeking freedom of their people and nothing will make us stop unless they give us a date for referendum to ascertain where everybody wants to belong, either in Nigeria or elsewhere.
“We are ready to work with any government who wishes to give our people peace. If you dare us, you will regret it. We are peaceful and cannot jeopardise his government.”
IPOB’s sit-at-home order in Southeast has collapsed businesses in the region since last August.
It was declared to press home the release of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He is being tried over treason, running a proscribed group, and jumping bail in 2017.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano.
The Public Relations Officer of the EFCC, Wilson Uwajaren confirmed the arrest.
It will be recalled as previously reported by Naija News that Obiano who just handed over less than twenty-four hours ago to Governor Chukwuma Soludo was picked up on Thursday at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Thursday night around 8.30pm by EFCC operatives.
He was arrested while on his way to the United States.
Confirming the development during a chat with BBC Pidgin, the EFCC spokesperson said Obiano was arrested because he was on the watchlist of the anti-graft agency.
He added that they couldn’t arrest him earlier because of his immunity as a sitting Governor.
He said, “Obiano has been on our watchlist for sometime now. He had immunity as a governor and that is why we could not arrest him before now.
“Today he lost the immunity and was traveling out of the country before we finally arrested him”.
The PUNCH learnt that Obiano, who had been on the watch list of the EFCC, was arrested while trying to board a flight to the United States.
Recall that the commission had in a letter to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service dated November 15, 2021, asked immigration to place Obiano on a watch list and inform it anytime he is travelling out of the country from any of the International airports and other points of entry and exit.
The Commissioner for Information, Don Adinuba, had, however, dared the EFCC, insisting that his boss would return to the US – his original base – after leaving office.
However, barely hours after handing over to his successor, Prof. Charles Soludo, it was learnt that Obiano made his way to Lagos after which he proceeded to the international airport.
On sighting him at 8.30pm, immigration officers were said to have alerted the EFCC who immediately arrested him and took him down to their office.
When contacted on the telephone, the Spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the former governors’ arrest, promising to provide more details later.
“It is true. He was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport around 8.30pm,” said Uwujaren.
Bianca Ojukwu, the widow of the late Biafra warlord, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu has expressed her optimism that Anambra State will be better.
TRIXX NG recalls Bianca trended on social media when she was involved in a fight with the immediate past First Lady of Anambra State, Ebelechukwu Obiano.
Both women had to be separated by security agents and some personalities as they exchanged slaps at the inauguration of Soludo. Mrs Obiano was later taken away and shortly afterwards, her husband, Willie Obiano left the venue.
Bianca while reacting to Thursday’s swearing-in of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo as the new Governor of the state tagged March 17, 2022, ‘Liberation Day’, while stating that she is expecting ‘redemption’.
“It’s liberation day, and today we sing the Redemption Song. Anambra will be better!” she wrote on her known Facebook page on Thursday.
The management of the University of Ibadan on Thursday ordered students to vacate its halls of residence following the extension of the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union if Universities.
The Registrar of the UI, Mrs Olubunmi Faluyi, announced the order to vacate the hostels in a bulleting issued on Thursday.
The university however exempted post graduate students who have paid their fees and undergraduates students on industrial attachment and practical training from vacating the campus.
The registrar said, “Management, at its meeting on Wednesday, 16 March, 2022, deliberated on the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which had now been extended by eight (8) weeks.
“As a result, academic activities in the University have become paralysed.
“Consequently, the vice-chancellor, on behalf of Senate has directed that the university be closed until further notice.
“Therefore, all students are hereby mandated to vacate the halls of residence with immediate effect.
“Postgraduate students who have paid their school fees and undergraduate students who are on industrial attachment or practical training are exempted from this vacation notice. Such students are to visit the Office of the Dean of Students for accommodation arrangement.
“A new date of resumption will be communicated in due course.”
