Flowerbud News

Category: Security and Crimes

  • Police arrest fake philanthropist, recover fraudulently obtained bags of rice in Enugu

    Police arrest fake philanthropist, recover fraudulently obtained bags of rice in Enugu

     

    By Flowerbudnews

    The Police Command in Enugu State has
    arrested a fake philanthropist and recovered fraudulently obtained bags of rice within Enugu metropolis.

    The Command’s Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement on Sunday in Enugu that the swift response of police operatives serving in the Ogui Police Division led to arrest of one Joseph Nnamani, 45.

    Ndukwe noted that if not for police intervention, Nnamani would have successfully defrauded a businessman of 18 bags of rice valued at about N400,000 under the guise of buying and using the rice for charity at a church on Feb. 14, 2024, Valentine’s Day.

    “On Valentine’s Day, Nnamani went to the premises of a church (name withheld) in Ogui, Enugu, from where he called the businessman (names withheld) on the phone, requesting 18 pieces of 25kg bags of rice with the pretense of wanting to use the same for charity to the church.

     

    “The businessman accordingly supplied the rice and unsuspectingly followed Nnamani to the bank to receive his payment through bank transfer.

     

    “But in the course of effecting the payment, Nnamani secretly left the bank, went back to the church, and made away with the bags of rice to an unknown destination.

     

    “The suspect, however, could not run or hide for so long, as police operatives, upon receiving the report, embarked on an intelligence-driven investigation, which led to his arrest on Feb. 20, 2024, at Enene, Enugu,” he said.

     

    The police spokesman noted that upon his arrest, eight out of the 18 25kg bags of rice were recovered from him, after he had re-bagged and sold the other bags at Oye Emene Market, Enugu.

     

    Ndukwe said the suspect and his cohorts would definitely have a date with the court of law once investigations are concluded on the matter.

    “The citizenry, particularly businessmen and women, are hereby advised to always be security conscious and wary of whom and how they transact businesses in such circumstances, to avoid falling prey to fraudulent suspects like Nnamani.

    ”Additionally, while the investigation lasts, person(s) who may have suffered a similar act of fraud by the suspect, are encouraged to report to the mentioned police division to volunteer relevant information,” he added. (Flowerbudnews)

  • Breaking,: Son kills Father to inherit Gratuity

    Breaking,: Son kills Father to inherit Gratuity

     

    By Danladi Ahmed

    Abuja Flowerbudnews): A discharged Warrant Officer (WO), Ogunji has been killed by his own son to inherit the deceased’s gratuity that has just been paid.

    Reliable sources told Flowerbudnews that the son killed his father by smashing his head with a firewood in the incident said to have happened in the FCT.

    ”It is a sad and Unfortunate Incident. The son to Rtd WO Ogunji decided to use firewood to hit and kill his dad who had just been paid his gratuity and other allowances after his retirement,” the sources told Flowerbudnews.

    The WO’s picture was placed beside the boy who was forced to squat down close to the corpse of his father.

    Meanwhile, Flowerbudnews learnt that the boy being the Next of Kin, had threatened that since his father did not die in service so that he could claim his gratuity, he decided to kill him after his retirement.

    ”What a wicked world. May God never allow us have such children who, instead of taking care of their parents end up killing them because of property or financial gain. So terrible to hear.,” a sympathiser told Flowerbudnews.

  • EFCC Arrests 50 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Kwara

    EFCC Arrests 50 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Kwara

     

     

    By Biola Lawal

    Flowerbudnews): The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested 48 students of the Kwara State University, KWASU, and two others for offences bordering on internet fraud.

    They were arrested by operatives of the Kwat Command of the Commission on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 in their various hideouts after days of surveillance and fruitful intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet-related offences.

    This was disclosed in a statement by Dele Oyewale, the EFCC Spokesman.

    Items recovered from the suspects include nine exotic cars, twenty-four (24) laptops and different brands of phones.

    The suspects will soon be arraigned in court upon conclusion of investigations. (Flowerbudnews)

  • Boat mishap: Navy conducts search & rescue exercise to reduce incidents

    Boat mishap: Navy conducts search & rescue exercise to reduce incidents

    …affirms commitment to saving lives at sea

    By Mkpoikana Udoma

    Port Harcourt ( Flowerbudnews): Occasioned by the increasing rate of boat mishaps in the country, the Nigerian Navy, NNS Pathfinder has conducted a search and rescue simulation exercise to save lives at sea.

    The exercise was also conducted to curb boat mishap casualties recorded with the nation’s maritime domain.

    The exercise was held on the directive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, to all Naval Commands in the country.

    NNS Pathfinder is under the Eastern Naval Command.

    It was conducted in conjunction with 10 other agencies including the Nigerian Airforce, Nigerian Army, Civil Defence, Police, NEMA, NIMASA, NIWA, NPA, the Rivers State Government, amongst others.

    Speaking, the Naval Commander, NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, said the Nigerian Navy was poised to save lives at sea, noting that apart from protecting Nigeria’s maritime domain from both external and internal threats, the Navy also must protect lives.

    Igbo also commended the Rivers State Government the Chief of Naval Staff, and the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, for their support in the conduct of the Search and Rescue Simulation Exercise, SAR SIMEX.

    “This event is occasioned by the increased rate of boat mishaps and several casualties recorded in Nigeria’s maritime domain including Rivers State.


    in recent times. Accordingly, the Nigerian Navy in keeping with its constitutional mandate of ensuring the safety and security of the nation’s maritime environment mobilized other relevant maritime stakeholders to employ a SAR procedure to curb this trend.

    “The SAR SIMEX is aimed at exercising the Nigerian Navy and other relevant maritime agencies in Emergency SAR operations to effectively conduct SAR operations in the maritime environment to encourage the Rivers State Government to reactivate its Emergency SAR team.

    “The exercise was necessitated by the need for the Nigerian Navy to save lives at sea, apart from protecting the maritime environment including oil and gas assets, we also have the mandate to protect lives and properties, that is why the CNS mandated us to simulate this exercise with other security agencies.

    “The point is that we must protect lives, in collaboration with other stakeholders including the Rivers State Government. We already have our Naval boats and ships in the creeks, in case of any emergency.”

    Also speaking, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, represented by Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, commended the Nigerian Navy for conducting the exercise and hinted at plans to revitalize the State Emergency Management Agency.

    The governor recalled the heroic act of a Rivers indigene, Joe Blankson, who lost his life after rescuing 14 persons during a boat mishap along the Bakana River in 2018.

    “We must commend the Nigerian Navy for putting the simulation exercise together, and to let us know that we all have a part to play in ensuring a holistic approach for safety and security on our waterways.”

    For his part, the Police Commissioner in Rivers State, Olatunji Disu, who described the marine Police as one of the most important agencies in water operations, assured of readiness to collaborate with other agencies in carrying out rescue operations within the state’s waterways

    Meanwhile, the Port Harcourt Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Surv. Bernard Ekawu, said NIWA remains passionate concerning safety on the waterways and has already established search and rescue centres across all area offices.

    “The Authority is poised to ensure that there is safety on our waterways, however, it needs an interagency collaboration. There is emphasis from the Authority on adherence to safety protocol. We don’t allow sailing at night, boat overloading, rickety boats, and moving without life jackets. So all stakeholders on the waterways must adhere to safety protocol,” NIWA said.

    For his part, the South-South Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Mr Adebiyi Razaq, represented by the Zonal Secretary, Mr Ochoche Samson Ochepo, said NEMA was already carrying out advocacy and sensitization to reduce disasters on the waterways. (Flowerbudnews)

  • EFCC, NUPENG  Join Forces against Oil Theft

    EFCC, NUPENG  Join Forces against Oil Theft

    By Biola Lawal

    Abuja (Flowerbudnews): The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG has sought the collaboration of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to fight the scourge of illegal oil bunkering across the country.

    The request was made on Wednesday in Abuja when  the President of the Union, Comrade William Akporeha led members of his executive on a courtesy visit to EFCC Boss, Ola Olukoyede.

    Akporeha, commended Olukoyede for repositioning the anti-graft agency on the path of professionalism and rule of law and sought the collaboration of the Commission in sanitising the oil and gas industry.

    “I am not here to patronize you, but your administration has changed the way things were. Before now, when you hear of EFCC what would probably come to your mind is probably the killing of businesses and organizations, but there is a new approach to issues where people now  have courage and feel that this is an institution that follows due process.

    ”Once your hand is clean, you can do genuine business in this country, you will continue to prosper, and I appreciate you for that vision. I can assure you and your team of a solid collaboration of NUPENG”, he said.

    He itemized some of the challenges involved in the movement of petroleum products across the country, pleading with the EFCC to always come to the aid of truck drivers experiencing difficulties in the course of their works.

    In his response Olukoyede said that it was important that major players in the oil and gas sector collaborated with the EFCC to confront the national economic sabotage going on in the sector.

    “It is important for us to come out as Nigerians to eradicate corruption since we all agree that corruption is a cankerworm militating against our progress as a nation.

    ”It is also important for us to collaborate and fight that major problem that is limiting our progress. As we collaborate from today, if there are members of your association that would want to continue to play hanky-panky, let them know that even their executives would not tolerate sharp practices,” he said.

    He assured members of the union that the Commission would not arrest or detain any truck or driver who did not dabble into shady deals, noting that the process of profiling arrested suspected oil thieves and evaluation of petroleum products involved are often long drawn. “ The EFCC will continue to work with every stakeholder in the oil and gas sector to ensure sanity in the sector”,  he said. (Flowerbudnews)

     

  • Hafsat Bakari nominated to replace Modibbo at NFIU

    Hafsat Bakari nominated to replace Modibbo at NFIU

     

    By Flowerbudnews

     

     

     

    Abuja (Flowerbudnews)President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ms. Hafsat Abubakar Bakari as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

    Her nomination is subject to confirmation by the Senate. If confirmed, she will replace Modibbo Tukur, who was sacked in July 2023.

    Ms. Bakari, a lawyer has garnered many years of experience in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.

    She was the deputy director at the NFIU before her nomination by the President. (Flowerbudnews)

  • Police arrest 83 suspects, rescue 20 kidnapped victims in Enugu

    Police arrest 83 suspects, rescue 20 kidnapped victims in Enugu

     

     

    By Flowerbudnews

    The Police Command in Enugu State says it arrested 83 criminal suspects and rescued 20 kidnapped victims within the state between Jan. 1, 2024 till date.

     

     

    The offences for which the suspects were arrested included: abduction, kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, defilement and vandalism among other criminals committed within the state in the period under review.

     

     

    The state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the successes of the Command since the beginning of the year.

     

    Uzuegbu noted that 46 firearms of different calibers were recovered as well as 125 ammunition of different calibres were recovered within the period under review.

     

     

    According to him, 36 motor vehicles were recovered; six tricycles were recovered and 15 motorcycles were also recovered by gallant and eagle-eyed crime fighting officers and men of the Command.

     

     

    He said many of the arrested suspects had been arraigned in court and remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Service Custodial Centre, while others would be prosecuted accordingly once investigations are concluded.

     

    The commissioner said that proactive and people’s centred policing approaches of the Command had started yielding the expected results.

     

     

    “I wish to specially thank the Executive Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Dr Peter Mbah, for the immense support his Administration has continued to extend to the police in the state.

     

     

    “In the same vein, I profoundly thank and appreciate the Inspector-General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, for his visionary and pragmatic leadership style, which have brought about the policing strides recorded in Enugu State and Nigeria as a whole.

     

    “Additionally, I express my immense gratitude to my colleagues in sister security agencies and the entire security stakeholders in Enugu State, for all the collaborative support we enjoyed in 2023, and which has continued into 2024.

     

     

    “I also want to thank and appreciate my officers and men for their diligence, hard work and dedication to duty, which have resulted in the operational successes recorded.

     

     

    “I urge them to remain focused and committed to actualizing the mandates of the Nigeria Police Force in Enugu State,” he said.

     

    The commissioner maintained that discipline remained the bedrock of the Nigeria Police, adding: “ I caution officers and men to shun acts of corruption, unprofessionalism and moral debasements, which bring with them severe disciplinary consequences”.

     

     

    According to him, officers and men must remain professional, firm, upright and diligent in the performance of their duties.

     

     

    He warned unrepentant criminals to turn over a new leaf, as “we shall more than ever, turn up the heat and make Enugu State more uncomfortable for them and their activities.”

     

    He said: “And if they fail to repent, then we shall stop at nothing to ruthlessly deal with them.

     

    “I also want to strongly caution rumour mongers, rabble-rousers and peddlers of fake, misinformative and disinformative news in Enugu State to desist forthwith, as the Police would not hesitate to deal decisively with anyone found wanting, in accordance with extant laws, particularly the Cybercrime Act.

     

    “There is no doubt that the task of tackling the increasing security challenges in our society is daily becoming daunting.

    “Nonetheless, the assurance I bring to the good people of Enugu State is that we will remain focused and unflinching in our commitment to enthrone a crime-free and peaceful environment for all and sundry to thrive in their legitimate enterprises.”

     

    Uzuegbu urged the citizenry to remain law-abiding, security conscious and continue to support the police, through the provision of credible and actionable security information; while also reporting suspected criminals and their activities to the nearest police station. (Flowerbudnews)

  • Navy uncovers illegal refining site in Port Harcourt, confiscates 750,000 litres of AGO

    Navy uncovers illegal refining site in Port Harcourt, confiscates 750,000 litres of AGO

     

    By Flowerbudnews

    The Nigerian Navy have busted an illegal oil refining site in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, capital city of Rivers State.

    About Seven hundred and fifty thousand (750,000) litres of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil, AGO, popularly known as diesel was discovered and confiscated during the raid at Abonema Wharf area of the city.

     

    The exercise was carried out on Tuesday by Officers and operatives of Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, Pathfinder, led by the Commander, Commodore Desmond Igbo.

    Addressing Journalists after the exercise, Commodore Desmond Igbo said the raid which was carried out after a tip off, was in continuation of the mandate of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla to end illegal oil bunkering activities and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and other parts of the nation.

    Commodore Igbo, who described illegal oil bunkering and crude oil theft as an act of sabotaging the nation’s economy said, he and his team are fully determined to end the menace in their area of operation.

    He said, “This is another illegal oil bunkering site in Port Harcourt. As you can see, we have lots of drums fully loaded with this illegally refined products. We also have some loaded in the bags too. Here, we have not less than Seven hundred and fifty thousand (750,000) litres of AGO stolen by criminals stocked here.

     

    Vn”Last time, we were at the creeks, but these oil thieves have devised a new means to even come to the town. This is Abonema Wharf, a community right inside the city of Port Harcourt, the state capital.”

    The Commander, NNS Pathfinder, said the illegal refining site poses a great danger to residents and those doing business in the area.

    “Apart from being saboteurs of the nation’s economy by stealing these oil, it is also an act of environmental degradation. They also constitute danger to the citizens and properties of people around here because, if there is any form of fire outbreak, it will burn down the entire community. We will not allow this to continue.

    “The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogala has given us this mandate to go to the creeks, the water and the land to make sure that crude oil theft in Niger Delta is put to an end. We will not relent and we won’t be deterred even with all form of sabotage and blackmails, we will continue to do the right thing both day and night to ensure this act of economic sabotage stops.”

    Mr. Igbo advised all those involved in the act of sabotaging the nation’s economy to refrain and engage in legal business to earn a living.

    “I have always advised them. They must refrain from this act of economic sabotage, it is not good for our country and our economy, as well the environment. So we advice them to look for other legal means of survival.”

    He however, noted that the confiscated products would be handed over to the appropriate authority for necessary action. (Flowerbudnews)

  • UPDATE: Court discharges Sowore, Bakare, orders DSS to release their seized items

    UPDATE: Court discharges Sowore, Bakare, orders DSS to release their seized items

     

    Flowerbudnews

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, discharged Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare of alleged treasonable felony preferred against them by the Attorney-General.of the Federation (AGF), Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

     

    Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling after counsel for the AGF, A.R. Tahir, withdrew the charge, struck out the matter.

     

    “In view of the application made by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, this charge, between Federal Republic of Nigeria and Omoyele Sowore and another, is hereby struck out and the defendants discharged,” he declared.

     

    Justice Nwite also ordered the Department of State Service (DSS) to immediately release three phones and the sum of N10, 000 seized from Sowore during his arrest.

     

    The judge equally ordered the DSS to release a phone belonging to Bakare and the sum of N1, 500 confiscated from him on his arrest.

     

    Justice Nwite further ordered that Sowore’s international passport be released to him forthwith.

     

    The orders followed an application by lawyer to Sowore and Bakare, Mr Femi Falana, SAN.

     

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sowore and Bakare (1st and 3nd defendants) were earlier arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in 2019 before the matter was reassigned to Nwite after Ojukwu was transferred to another jurisdiction.

     

    The Federal Government had dragged them to court on allegations of treason and attempts to overthrow former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

     

    When the matter was called, Tahir, an Assistant Chief State Counsel from the Federal Ministry of Justice, informed the court that she had a notice of discontinuance of the case dated Feb. 14 but filed Feb. 15 before the court.

     

    Tahir, said the application was filed pursuant to the powers conferred on the AGF in Section 174(1), Paragraph C of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 107(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

     

    “We intend to discontinue the charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/235/2019 against the 1st and 2nd defendants,” she said

     

    The lawyer, who said that presently, hearing in the matter was yet to commence, urged the court to strike out the charge.

     

    But lawyer to Sowore and Bakare, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, disagreed with Tahir’s submission.

     

    Falana, who argued that contrary to her submission, the matter had been partly heard, prayed the court to dismiss the case.

     

    The senior lawyer reminded that before the matter was reassigned to Justice Nwite, the 1st prosecution witness had been taken before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu.

     

    “My learner friend did not remember then. it was Mr Hassan Liman that was prosecuting the matter.

     

    “To that extent, the matter ought to be dismissed,” he added.

     

    Falana, however, commended the AGF and Minister if Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for taken the bold step.

     

    “I wish to appreciate the position of the AGF and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbermi, SAN, for taken a hint from this honourable court because the court said in the last adjournment that this matter would be dismissed, even if heaven will fall.

     

    “Finally, we are compel to profess our sincere gratitude to this honourable court for the threat to have this matter dismissed for want of diligent prosecution,” he said.

     

    He said though he would not be asking for a cost on behalf of the defendants who had been standing trial since 2019, he, however, urged the court to make an order compelling the DSS to return Sowore’s three phones and the sum of N10, 000 seized from him during his arrest.

     

    Falana also prayed the court to order the DSS to release a phone belonging to Bakare and the sum of N1, 500 seized from him during arrest.

     

    The lawyer equally urged the court to make an order for the release of Sowore’s travel documents and the title deeds submitted to the court as conditions for his bail.

     

    Tahir, however, opposed Falana’s application for court to dismiss the case.

     

    She argued that it was in the court record that the matter started denovo (afresh) after it was reassigned.

     

    “My lord, the learner silk pointed out that there was a counsel handling the matter but it was not within my knowledge to confirm that,” she said

     

    She insisted that since the charge had not commenced before the court, the proper thing to do is for the charge to be struck out

     

    Delivering his ruling, Justice Nwite aligned with Tahir that the matter started afresh before him after reassignment.

     

    He held that in any criminal proceeding, the AGF had the power to discontinue a matter, even where a suspect had been committed to prison or was on bail.

     

    “Without much ado, the provision of ACJA is clear and unambiguous,” he said, while striking out the charge.

     

    NAN reports that the judge had, on Feb. 14, threatened to strike out the charge for lack of diligent prosecution.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng) / Flowerbudnews