The Benue State Police Command has arrested five suspects on charges of identity theft and cyber fraud. Police spokesperson, SP Sewuese Anene, disclosed in a statement in Makurdi on Friday that the suspects, aged between 18 and 21, were apprehended by the Command’s Cybercrime and Narcotics Department. Acting on intelligence reports, operatives raided a hideout in Makurdi, leading to the suspects’ arrest. Anene stated, “Exhibits recovered from them include three iPhones, a small Tecno phone, and two other smartphones.” She added that investigations revealed the suspects had been impersonating individuals and using stolen identities to defraud unsuspecting victims. The Commissioner…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
Police operatives in Bauchi State have killed six suspected bandits and seized a cache of firearms after a gunfight in Ningi Local Government Area. The operation led to the recovery of multiple weapons, including AK-49 rifles, a locally made single-barrel gun, a Dane gun, and various locally fabricated arms. Authorities also confiscated 14 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and three magazines from the suspects. Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Auwal Mohammed, detailed the incident during a press briefing at the command headquarters on Friday. He explained that the bandits were killed in a clash with operatives from the Ningi Division, who…
Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has pledged to take all necessary steps to secure the release of minors from Kano arrested in connection with the recent #EndBadGovernance protests. InfoStride News reports that protesters, including minors, were arraigned on Friday at a Federal High Court in Abuja. Those detained reportedly hail from Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano. The defendants face charges of terrorism, arson, and treasonable felony. During the court proceedings, four minors reportedly collapsed and were rushed out, after which the court granted bail of N10 million each to the 72 defendants. The arraignment of minors has sparked…
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw all charges against minors accused of participating in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests. InfoStride News reports that 76 individuals, including 32 minors, were arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Abuja Federal High Court on Friday, following their involvement in nationwide protests from August 1 to August 10. The protests, spurred by economic hardship, fuel subsidy removal, and other government policies, saw Nigerians demanding improved governance. Some protesters were subsequently arrested and charged with ten counts, including treason, intent to undermine Nigeria, and inciting mutiny by…
The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has ridiculed the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the defection of Hon. Suleiman Abubakar Gummi to the APC. Gummi, who represents the Bukkuyyum/Gummi federal constituency in the House of Representatives, was elected on the PDP platform in 2023. Speaking to journalists in Gusau, APC State Publicity Secretary Yusuf Idris Gusau claimed that Gummi’s defection signals internal issues within the PDP. “We are not surprised that the lawmaker decamped to APC with his teeming supporters because Governor Dauda Lawal is not a politician but a businessman,” he said. Gusau asserted…
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old ex-convict, Abolaji Alese, along with six others for alleged armed robbery and the kidnapping of travelers along the Sagamu-Ijebu Ode route. The other suspects include Onokrese Jacob (34), Henry Emmanuel (34), Joseph Udomah (42), Abiola Oduyemi (41), Abbey Emmanuel (34), and Jimoh Kareem (39). At the Command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, on Friday, Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, revealed that the suspects were involved in the abduction of seven people between May and September 2024. Alamutu disclosed that Alese, the gang leader, was previously arrested by the Oyo State…
Tensions are escalating in the Umuekwune Obollo-Afor autonomous community of Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu State, over plans to conduct an Igweship election despite a court order halting the process. Community members have vowed to resist what they call an attempted imposition of a monarch, accusing Enugu State Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, of defying the court order. Ogbodo reportedly scheduled the election for November 4, 2024, despite the ministry’s acknowledgment of the court’s restraining order, received on September 23, 2024. Addressing journalists in Enugu on Saturday, Chief Arua Melitus, a community leader, expressed dismay over the alleged…
The Ebonyi State Police Command announced the arrest of 177 suspected criminals in October 2024, with charges ranging from human organ harvesting and ritual killings to kidnapping, murder, and armed robbery. At a news conference in Abakaliki on Friday, Police Public Relations Officer DSP Joshua Ukandu disclosed that the suspects included 162 men and 15 women. Of these, 92 have already been charged to court, with the remainder awaiting further investigations. “On behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Anthonia Uche-Anya, I welcome you to this briefing on the Command’s achievements in October 2024 and our continued commitment to fighting…
Former Nigerian ambassador to Botswana, Isaac Onuh, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately cease what he describes as a “macabre dance” against former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, under the guise of an anti-corruption campaign. Speaking with journalists in Lokoja on Friday, Onuh, who also served as a lawmaker, warned the EFCC against unauthorized tactics allegedly used to intimidate Bello following his 2023 presidential bid. He suggested that political adversaries could be exploiting the agency to damage Bello’s reputation, which he claimed remained untarnished through two terms as Kogi governor. “His Excellency, Alhaji…
Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has criticized the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, over remarks suggesting youths in Abuja pursue taxi driving as a viable career. Ibe warned against portraying the youth as limited to taxi work, highlighting that economic hardship, not choice, often pushes young Nigerians into such jobs. Wike’s comments came on Thursday during a car handover ceremony to FCT youths, aimed at promoting commercial driving. In his address, Wike encouraged recipients to feel empowered rather than ashamed, noting that many Nigerians willingly take up similar roles…
The Federal Government has announced plans to address the recurring sea incursion impacting Ayetoro community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, with assurances that relief is on the way. The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, expressed the government’s commitment to working alongside the Ondo State Government to tackle the environmental challenges faced by the coastal, theocratic community. He assured residents that Ayetoro’s restoration is a priority. Speaking at a town hall meeting and stakeholders’ engagement organized by the Federal Ministry of Works regarding the alignment of Ondo State’s 63km segment of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, Umahi emphasized…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted accusations by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) that its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, ignored a court order on prosecuting electoral offenders. In a statement issued Wednesday in Abuja, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, addressed media reports claiming that SERAP had accused INEC of failing to prosecute electoral offenders from the 2023 General Election. The accusations by SERAP included claims that INEC neglected to engage independent counsels to prosecute unnamed governors and deputy governors for alleged violations of electoral laws. SERAP also alleged…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed strong disappointment over the recent defection of Hon. Sulaiman Abubakar Gummi to the All Progressives Congress (APC), calling it a betrayal of both the party and the trust of the people of Gummi/Bukkuyum, who elected him under the PDP’s banner. In a statement issued by the party’s publicity secretary, Andi Haliru, and made available to journalists in Gusau, the PDP emphasized that Gummi’s defection came despite the absence of any internal crisis, demonstrating what it described as a lack of commitment to the ideals and values of the PDP. “We firmly believe that…
Political parties participating in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election will sign a Peace Accord on November 8, an initiative coordinated by the National Peace Committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to promote a peaceful electoral process. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced the development on Thursday in Abuja, noting that the Commission has identified potential flashpoints in Ondo and informed security agencies to support effective conflict mapping. While addressing Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) during INEC’s fourth quarterly meeting, Yakubu stated that INEC would conduct a final assessment of election readiness next week, which will involve stakeholders, officials,…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has taken a swipe at the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the defection of Suleiman Abubakar Gummi to the APC. Gummi, who was elected under the PDP in 2023 to represent the Bukkuyyum/Gummi federal constituency in the House of Representatives, recently joined the APC along with his supporters. Addressing journalists in Gusau, APC State Publicity Secretary Yusuf Idris Gusau stated that Gummi’s defection highlights internal issues within the PDP. “We are not surprised that the lawmaker decamped to APC with his teeming supporters because Governor Dauda Lawal is not a politician…
Edo State’s outgoing Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Thursday recounted how land grabbers illegally reallocated and resold his property in Iyekogba, Oredo Local Government Area. Obaseki shared his experience while commissioning the Edo Built Environment Hub in Benin City. The newly inaugurated hub encompasses the Ministry of Physical Planning, Housing, Urban and Regional Development; Edo Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS); Ministry of Roads and Bridges; and the Edo State Public Building and Maintenance Agency. Reflecting on the incident, Obaseki said, “Before I assumed office as governor, my land, which had a government-approved Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), was grabbed and resold…
The Abia State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has urged security agencies to refrain from subjecting voters to any form of brutality during the upcoming local government elections on November 2. Speaking in Umuahia on Thursday after a peace accord was signed by political parties in the state, Abia IPAC Chairman Nelcin Uluocha emphasized that any form of voter mistreatment would not be tolerated. Uluocha, who also chairs the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in Abia, expressed the council’s commitment to ensuring a fair and peaceful election process. Additionally, Uluocha criticized Alex Ikwuechegh, the member representing Aba North/Aba South…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Thursday distributed 80 vehicles to youth in Abuja as part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Youth Empowerment Initiative. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, which marked the end of nine days of project inaugurations, Wike emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the lives of young people in the FCT. The vehicle distribution included 30 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), 30 seven-seater Suzuki minibuses, and 20 14-seater Hiace buses. According to Wike, the vehicles are intended to create employment opportunities for the youth and help reduce transportation costs within the capital.…
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has stated that Northern governors cannot oppose President Bola Tinubu, whom he described as a leader they collectively helped to elect. This comes amid reports of Northern governors rejecting aspects of a tax reform bill sent to the National Assembly by President Tinubu’s administration. In a communiqué issued Monday, the Northern Governors’ Forum, chaired by Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa, expressed concerns over elements of the bill, notably its provisions on Value Added Tax (VAT) distribution. The proposed legislation, forwarded by Tinubu to the Senate and House of Representatives on October 3, 2024, includes provisions…
With just 17 days to the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) deputy governorship candidate, Susan Gbemisola Alabi, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Alabi formally joined the ruling APC during its campaign tour in Akoko North West Local Government Area, where she was welcomed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and APC State Chairman, Ade Adetimehin. Her defection follows her resignation from the SDP on October 2, when she notified the party’s National Chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, of her decision. During the campaign, Governor Aiyedatiwa, who is also the APC’s governorship candidate, promised…